Scotland: demands for expulsion of US military over abductions

The Scottish Greens, and others, are demanding the expulsion of US forces from a ‘de facto US airbase’. These demands come after US troops abducted two people overnight. Importantly, the highest court in Scotland had ordered the two be kept there.

An act of piracy

The two people abducted were the captain and first officer of a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the Marinera. US forces seized the vessel on 7 January near Iceland. Then they brought it to Scottish waters, east of Inverness.

Green MSP Ross Greer told the Scottish Parliament that this was another act of piracy by Trump which breaches Scottish sovereignty. Outraged Greer demanded the eviction of US troops from Prestwick Airport by the Scottish and UK governments. He wanted this done as a response.

Providing a weak response, first minister John Swinney insisted that Scottish law had been upheld but said that he would consider Greer’s points. However, his insistence that the airport operates “at arm’s length” suggests that no action is intended in Scotland, least, not at this stage.

Disregard for international law

The Scottish Court of Session ordered on Monday that the two men remain in Scottish jurisdiction, after a request by Natia Dzadzamia, the Georgian captain’s wife. However, the US government took the two men onto a US vessel. Then it told Scottish authorities after the fact — by email just after 3am yesterday.

Holyrood’s justice secretary, Angela Constance, said the US had shown contempt for “Scottish jurisdiction and Scots law”. However, the court responded to the US breach by lifting the ‘interdict’. This appeared to be an attempt to sanitise the issue.

The Trump regime has committed frequent acts of piracy against vessels sailing under the flags of Venezuela and Russia. These seizures were clear crimes under international law. This was another example of US arrogance and impunity. US political journalist Brian Allen, who posted the video, agreed and warned that US contempt is causing a split with ‘allies’:

This is a sovereignty breach and allies are starting to say it out loud.

Given the lawlessness of the US government, the Starmer government should be expelling US troops from the whole UK. Instead, he is allowing the US and Israel to use UK airbases to prepare for attacks on Iran and potentially Greenland and has helped Israel monitor Gaza and kill Palestinians — and at least three British citizens.

Featured image via the Canary