French sail yacht seized in Kochi port

Kochi (Kerala), Nov 15 (ANI): The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have seized a French yacht in Kochi after it entered the port without valid documents.

This incident created havoc among the security and custom officials as the city is on high alert for being one of the main city to be visited by David Headley an arrested LeT kingpin in USA by FBI for allegedly plotting the 26/11 attack in Mumbai.

"The yacht entered Indian territorial waters on November 13. The marine patrolling wing of CISF intercepted the boat and inquired...people onboard didn't give any valid explanation...they didn't have any valid travel documents except passport," said Lovely Chan, an official with CISF.

"Both the owner of the yacht, Pinol a French national and a US national Malcolm Russell Williamson who were on board are immediately taken into custody and are questioning to know the exact details," Chan added.

Meanwhile, a joint team comprising of Intelligence Bureau, Customs and Immigration officials and CISF are questioning the foreign nationals.

Headley was arrested on October 3, 2009, by the Chicago FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at O'Hare International Airport before boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan. By Juhan Samuel (ANI)