Sea Shepherd captain boards Japanese whaling ship - Arrested

23/02/2010 12:23:12 Captain of ship sunk by Japanese arrested - By Japanese whalers
February 2010. The Japanese government has said they will have Captain Peter Bethune of New Zealand taken to Japan to be tried on unknown charges in a Japanese court.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Captain Peter Bethune were prepared for this possibility prior to the boarding of the Shonan Maru #2 by Captain Bethune.

"Captain Peter Bethune's $3 million dollar vessel the Ady Gil was rammed, sunk and destroyed by the Captain of the Shonan Maru #2. The incident injured one of the six crewmembers and could have killed all six," said Captain Paul Watson, "Captain Bethune was entirely in his rights to confront the man who almost killed him and destroyed his ship. And now this same Japanese captain, who destroyed a ship almost killing its crew, is intent on bringing Captain Bethune back to Japan as his captive. The question must be asked - who are the pirates here?"

Symbol of the fight against whaling
Captain Peter Bethune is no longer just a man who set a world record in boating and had the courage to defend the whales. He will now be the very symbol for the fight against whaling.

"If the Japanese put Peter Bethune on trial in Japan, it will be a case that will draw the attention of the world," said Captain Paul Watson, "What is the Japanese government thinking? The persecution of Captain Peter Bethune will be a rallying point for an international campaign to free Captain Bethune and to end the brutal illegal slaughter of the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.