00:02Iceland has ordered the expulsion of 21 anti-whaling activists held in Reykjavik since last week
00:08after the ship was seized while pursuing a whaling vessel.
00:12The Icelandic Coast Guard said the crew of a whaling ship requested assistance on Thursday evening
00:18because they believed their safety was under threat from the protest vessel Bandero.
00:23The Bandero is operated by a group founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson.
00:28Watson was not on board.
00:30Those aboard the Bandero included U.S. citizens, Brazilians, French and Spanish,
00:35according to a list provided by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.
00:39The Icelandic Coast Guard sent a helicopter and a large vessel and three inflatable boats full of special forces
00:46to board the Bandero, which they did after a pursuit of quite a few hours.
00:53And we have not heard from the ship since then.
00:56But Watson says his team takes it as an opportunity to continue its campaign.
01:01Iceland's membership in the European Union hinges on ending whaling, as it would be prohibited under EU regulations.
01:09The European Parliament must be fully informed of these actions, and we intend to publicize this.
01:17The crew had been confined to the vessel in the Reykjavik port, but police said Wednesday they could now leave
01:23the ship.
01:24Along with Norway and Japan, Iceland is one of the only countries still practicing commercial whaling.
01:30The European Parliament must be fully informed of the ship.
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