Maritime conservationist arrested in Germany on decade-old warrant
May 16, 2012
Paul Watson, leader of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization bent on putting a stop to illegal maritime hunting, was recently arrested in Frankfurt, Germany. He was detained due to a warrant for a 10-year-old claim filed against the group by Costa Rica, according to RTT News. On Monday, a judge decreed that the Canadian activist would need to remain in custody until a decision is reached about extraditing him to Costa Rica.
The charges against Watson are concerning an incident with the Varadero, a Costa Rican fishing ship, which was allegedly engaging in illegal shark finning activities. The Sea Shepherd and the Varadero had a run-in in Guatemalan waters while the conservationists were filming a documentary in 2002.
"The crew of the Varadero accused the Sea Shepherd of trying to kill them, while the video evidence proves this to be a fallacy," the anti-whaling group said in a statement. "To avoid the Guatemalan gunboat, the Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where they uncovered even more illegal shark finning activities in the form of dried shark fins by the thousands on the roofs of industrial buildings."
Those who want to find out more about Watson, the Sea Shepherd and the accusations against them can make calls to Germany to discuss the latest news with their friends.