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| SEAL Team Raids a Tanker and Thwarts a Militia’s Bid to Sell Libyan Oil | SEAL Team Raids a Tanker and Thwarts a Militia’s Bid to Sell Libyan Oil |
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| CAIRO — United States Navy commandos seized a renegade tanker carrying illicit Libyan oil in the Mediterranean southeast of Cyprus on Monday, thwarting a breakaway militia’s attempt to sell the oil on the black market. No shots were fired, no one was injured and the commandos captured three armed Libyans described by the ship’s captain as hijackers. | CAIRO — United States Navy commandos seized a renegade tanker carrying illicit Libyan oil in the Mediterranean southeast of Cyprus on Monday, thwarting a breakaway militia’s attempt to sell the oil on the black market. No shots were fired, no one was injured and the commandos captured three armed Libyans described by the ship’s captain as hijackers. |
| The predawn raid, carried out by about two dozen members of the Navy SEALs using high-speed boats from a nearby destroyer, rescued the fragile transitional government in Tripoli from a potentially catastrophic loss of control over its main source of revenue and last source of power: Libya’s vast oil reserves. | The predawn raid, carried out by about two dozen members of the Navy SEALs using high-speed boats from a nearby destroyer, rescued the fragile transitional government in Tripoli from a potentially catastrophic loss of control over its main source of revenue and last source of power: Libya’s vast oil reserves. |
| The tanker had threatened to uncork those reserves by enabling a militia that has blockaded Libya’s major oil ports for the last eight months to begin selling the oil on its own, independent of the state. The government in Tripoli sputtered with furious warnings of retribution but appeared powerless to stop the shipment. Flying a North Korean flag as cover but reportedly owned by an Arab shipping company, the tanker, called the Morning Glory, left the Libyan port of Sidra unmolested last week with a hull full of illicit oil. | The tanker had threatened to uncork those reserves by enabling a militia that has blockaded Libya’s major oil ports for the last eight months to begin selling the oil on its own, independent of the state. The government in Tripoli sputtered with furious warnings of retribution but appeared powerless to stop the shipment. Flying a North Korean flag as cover but reportedly owned by an Arab shipping company, the tanker, called the Morning Glory, left the Libyan port of Sidra unmolested last week with a hull full of illicit oil. |
| The State Department warned last week that it considered the shipment a “theft from the Libyan people” and noted that, along with the Libyan government, several American companies also have stakes in the oil. | The State Department warned last week that it considered the shipment a “theft from the Libyan people” and noted that, along with the Libyan government, several American companies also have stakes in the oil. |
| Since then, the Pentagon said in a statement on Monday, the governments of Libya and Cyprus had requested American assistance in apprehending the tanker. President Obama authorized the operations just after 10 p.m. Sunday in Washington, the statement said. | Since then, the Pentagon said in a statement on Monday, the governments of Libya and Cyprus had requested American assistance in apprehending the tanker. President Obama authorized the operations just after 10 p.m. Sunday in Washington, the statement said. |
| Within 10 minutes — before dawn Monday over the Mediterranean — the SEALs launched their boats from the Roosevelt, a guided-missile destroyer, which also provided backup support from a shipboard helicopter. | Within 10 minutes — before dawn Monday over the Mediterranean — the SEALs launched their boats from the Roosevelt, a guided-missile destroyer, which also provided backup support from a shipboard helicopter. |
| Quickly fanning out across the Morning Glory, the SEALs captured and disarmed the three Libyans described by the tanker’s crew as hijackers, American officials said. The mission was completed within two hours of boarding, they added. | |
| The official said the three Libyans would be in United States custody until the tanker returned to Libya, in about four days. | The official said the three Libyans would be in United States custody until the tanker returned to Libya, in about four days. |
| Officials said maritime records indicated the ship was owned by a company based in the United Arab Emirates but operated by a company based in Saudi Arabia. They said the 21-person crew was composed of six Pakistanis, six Indians, three Sri Lankans, two Syrians, two Sudanese and two Eritreans. | Officials said maritime records indicated the ship was owned by a company based in the United Arab Emirates but operated by a company based in Saudi Arabia. They said the 21-person crew was composed of six Pakistanis, six Indians, three Sri Lankans, two Syrians, two Sudanese and two Eritreans. |
| In a statement on Monday, the Libyan government expressed appreciation to “all countries who participated in this operation” and gave special thanks to “the United States of America and the Republic of Cyprus.” | In a statement on Monday, the Libyan government expressed appreciation to “all countries who participated in this operation” and gave special thanks to “the United States of America and the Republic of Cyprus.” |
| The transitional government established in Tripoli after the fall of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in 2011 has suffered many humiliations, including the kidnapping of its prime minister by a small group of militiamen and the recent sacking of its Parliament by a lightly armed mob. But the loss of control of its oil revenue, despite days of bluster by the prime minister at the time, Ali Zeidan, appeared to shake the government far more seriously. | |
| Almost as soon as the tanker reached international waters last week, the transitional Parliament voted to remove Mr. Zeidan from office, even before a consensus on who would succeed him could be reached. Parliament made the interim defense minister, Abdullah al-Thinni, the acting prime minister for a term of two weeks. | Almost as soon as the tanker reached international waters last week, the transitional Parliament voted to remove Mr. Zeidan from office, even before a consensus on who would succeed him could be reached. Parliament made the interim defense minister, Abdullah al-Thinni, the acting prime minister for a term of two weeks. |
| Now the American intervention has dealt a serious blow to perhaps the Libyan government’s greatest foe, Ibrahim Jathran, the 33-year-old leader of the eastern Libyan militia that blockaded the ports and tried to sell the oil. | Now the American intervention has dealt a serious blow to perhaps the Libyan government’s greatest foe, Ibrahim Jathran, the 33-year-old leader of the eastern Libyan militia that blockaded the ports and tried to sell the oil. |
| Mr. Jathran, a former rebel who fought against Colonel Qaddafi, was initially named to lead a force protecting the oil infrastructure. He has since allied himself with the so-called federalist movement demanding more power, autonomy and oil revenue for the nation’s eastern region, which contains most of Libya’s reserves. He has refused to reopen the ports until the central government agrees to investigate allegations of corruption in its oil sales and give the east a larger cut of the proceeds. | Mr. Jathran, a former rebel who fought against Colonel Qaddafi, was initially named to lead a force protecting the oil infrastructure. He has since allied himself with the so-called federalist movement demanding more power, autonomy and oil revenue for the nation’s eastern region, which contains most of Libya’s reserves. He has refused to reopen the ports until the central government agrees to investigate allegations of corruption in its oil sales and give the east a larger cut of the proceeds. |
| America’s willingness to foil his illicit exports goes a long way to level the balance of power. The government in Tripoli has been unable to force Mr. Jathran to reopen the ports or allow the official sale of the oil. Now, he appears unable to sell the oil on his own, returning both sides to a stalemate — with the oil remaining in place. | America’s willingness to foil his illicit exports goes a long way to level the balance of power. The government in Tripoli has been unable to force Mr. Jathran to reopen the ports or allow the official sale of the oil. Now, he appears unable to sell the oil on his own, returning both sides to a stalemate — with the oil remaining in place. |
| Still, even as the tanker sailed back, there were reminders that the situation was not Libya’s only source of political instability. A series of car bombings on Monday at a military academy graduation ceremony in Benghazi killed at least eight people, most believed to be graduating cadets, and wounded more than a dozen, hospital and security officials said. | Still, even as the tanker sailed back, there were reminders that the situation was not Libya’s only source of political instability. A series of car bombings on Monday at a military academy graduation ceremony in Benghazi killed at least eight people, most believed to be graduating cadets, and wounded more than a dozen, hospital and security officials said. |
| Islamist militants in Benghazi, who oppose federalists like Mr. Jathran, have been waging a campaign of bombings and assassinations usually aimed at former members of Qaddafi security forces. But Monday’s attack appeared to be the first time the militants have targeted recruits to Libya’s fledgling national army, cadets with no possible ties to the Qaddafi government. | Islamist militants in Benghazi, who oppose federalists like Mr. Jathran, have been waging a campaign of bombings and assassinations usually aimed at former members of Qaddafi security forces. But Monday’s attack appeared to be the first time the militants have targeted recruits to Libya’s fledgling national army, cadets with no possible ties to the Qaddafi government. |