Monday June 22, 2009, 9:34 am
Posted June 22, 2009 14:25:00
Updated June 22, 2009 14:28:00
The captain of the anti-whaling ship, the Steve Irwin, has been arrested in Portugal on an outstanding 30-year-old arrest warrant.

Paul Watson was arrested at Madiera airport as he arrived for this week's meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Portugal.

The Australian director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Jeff Hansen, says Mr Watson was released after four hours of questioning.

"This warrant was actually issued back in 1980, which was in response to Sea Shepherd ramming and later scuttling the pirate whaler the Sierra," he said.

"Then Paul had lengthy discussions with the police in northern Portugal and they determined that the warrant had actually expired in 2008 so there was no valid reason for them to hold him."

Mr Watson says he was released after authorities discovered the warrant for his arrest had expired.

"A little surprised because I've come and gone in Portugal many times and so suddenly why this happened I don't know," he said.

"But it was like last year in Chile, I was hassled a bit... Chileans told me it was because Japan had put in a complaint and they wanted to question me about what I was doing at the International Whaling Commission meeting.

"So I'm not really quite sure if Japan was behind this."

Monday June 22, 2009, 9:48 am
NOTED. THX JOANNA.

Monday June 22, 2009, 9:53 am
Talk about holding a grudge.....like Paul said......been here and never got hassled. Gee...the fact that the conference is going on is a bit too coincidental....ya think?

Monday June 22, 2009, 10:01 am
Thank you Joanna.

Monday June 22, 2009, 11:39 am

Mr Watson says he was released after authorities discovered the warrant for his arrest had expired.
How stupid does Portugal looks now..?

Monday June 22, 2009, 11:58 am
Paul scares the whaling nations and their partners in these bloody crimes, their desperation is showing.....go get em Paul

Monday June 22, 2009, 12:10 pm
You only have to watch Whale Wars to know what they are worried about...plenty-this is a man to be greatly admired and feared (by those who are doing something they shouldn't.)

Monday June 22, 2009, 12:39 pm
Hmmm. Yeah, me thinks the timeing of this is just a little too convenient! I hope they are all shaking in thier boots! Captain Paul is exposing how evil whalers are! Thanks, Joanna.

Monday June 22, 2009, 2:20 pm
Noted/thanks Joanna

Monday June 22, 2009, 2:55 pm
Between the Japs and my blood relatives the Danes, Norway, Greenland, they are all criminals for killing whales. There are ways to let them all know where the bear pooped in the forest!!!! BOYCOTT JUST LIKE YOU DO WITH THE SEALS, FIGHT FOR THE WHALES AND THEIR FRIENDS

Monday June 22, 2009, 5:06 pm
Noted, and thank you.

Monday June 22, 2009, 5:38 pm
GO PAUL!! I know they are going to make all this madness stop, I can't wait until the Sea Shepherd crew is out of a job!!!

Monday June 22, 2009, 5:44 pm
lmao an expired arrest warrant, aaaaaaaahahaha
yeah Dusty that is harboring a huge grudge, but what hit me harder than anything is the fact that he went after a PIRATE whaler ship, and the authorities would rather fight the rescue efforts than the pirates.
don't the authorities often make themselves look so foolish?
we gets kicks and giggles from them again, we surely need the laughter.
:O
ty Joanna

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 3:43 am
Noted. Thanks

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 4:26 am
Thank you

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 2:00 pm
This just proves what a bunch of idiots the Portugal authorities are. The incompetence shown by their police when Madeleine McCann http://www.findmadeleine.com/ was abducted just beggars belief. I am not surprised at this latest fiasco. Yes Portugal is not on our holiday wish list!

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 3:14 pm
Got em Skakin in their boots!!!

Tuesday June 23, 2009, 5:55 pm
Paul Watson should be running the conference, not being arrested for being there.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 1:56 am
Once again we see the gross ineptitude of the bood thirsty whaling nations.Their capacity for making fools of themselves is remarkable they often come over like some poor music hall joke.Good on Paul and the Crew of the Sea Sheperd ships.They are true ecological warriors and well deserve our support and admiration.

Wednesday June 24, 2009, 2:07 pm
Do you all know how much it costs to run that ship? Give him a break....and the volunteers also.

Who wants to eat those majestic whales?

The world is going nuts....wherever I turn, animals are being tortured for pleasure....I hope mightly God end this silly games that some men need to get their hormones worked off.

Butterfly

Friday June 26, 2009, 6:22 am
Oh dear. Couldn´t come up with an original idea the souls.

Friday June 26, 2009, 6:23 am
P.S. don´t get me wrong I meant the Portuguese authority.