Security review urged after Gulf tanker 'attack'

DUBAI // The alleged terrorist attack on a Japanese supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz will prompt a review in the security systems along the Gulf waters, terrorism experts said yesterday. A boat loaded with explosives is suspected to have rammed into the 333-metre-long M Star, UAE experts said on Friday following investigations. A specialised team found traces of homemade explosives on the hull of the vessel.

The announcement comes just days after the little-known militant group, Abdullah Azzam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack on the vessel in a statement published online. However, the ship's operator and US navy officials said it was too early to confirm the cause of the blast. "The whole incident exposes the fact that there are forces out there, like al Qa'eda, that can do this," said Thoedore Karasik, a security analyst at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.

"A review of the security system in the Gulf waters is required now. There are many unanswered questions including how a boat got to the tanker," he said. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital transit point for 40 per cent of the world's oil. Experts say the attackers had been tracking the tanker and its movements. "We already have security systems in place to stop such attacks. However, in this case, there was clearly a gap somewhere," he added.

"This attack just means that more monitoring is required along the entire coastline in this area. "This is the responsibility of the US naval forces in the region and navies of other nations that have vested interests here." The US navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet told The National on Friday that it would work with its partners in the region to maintain a high state of vigilance and to ensure critical waterways remained safe.

Analysts believe this would mean an increase in warships and surveillance both on land and at sea. "I would be surprised if increased surveillance would not be happening already," said Mr Karasik. The Strait of Hormuz is already one of the most heavily guarded waterways in the world. US navy and navies from countries in the region and others have protected the waters as it is a key transit point for fuel. The M Star was travelling from Al Ruwais to Tokyo loaded with 270,000 tonnes of oil.

"We were lucky this time that the damage was minimal," said Mustafa Alani from the Gulf research Centre. "But this was just luck. The next attack might not be the same." In 2002 a dinghy full of explosives was rammed into the French oil tanker Limburg off the coast of Yemen, killing one crew member and injuring 12. The vessel ignited and as much as 90,000 barrels of oil leaked into the ocean. Mr Alani said a change in calculations was required for the region, otherwise there would be more attacks.

There is also a concern that resources have been diverted to control piracy in the Gulf of Aden. "Navies have been looking at piracy as a real problem and terrorism was only perceived as a potential problem,"said Mr Alani. "The downside here is that we have been trying to control piracy in the Gulf of Aden with little success. "This is why a lot of resources had been moved to counter piracy. So, tackling terrorism in the sea may not be that easy."

More intelligence along the coast and more proactive measures from international community in the region were required, he said. Ship operators said yesterday that the attack on M Star was a matter of concern for them. "This area has always been sensitive and the operating costs here are high," said Rohan Shetty, the chairman and managing director of Kellett & Singleton Group, a shipping investment company .

"This attack is a matter of concern for us but there is nothing much we can do. It's an open sea and the Strait of Hormuz is already the most policed waterway." "Now that this attack took place, people now need to be much more alert." @Email:pmenon@thenational.ae