Cyprus halts Syria-bound suspect ship from N.Korea

LONDON, Sep 7 (Reuters) A Syria-bound ship carrying mobile radar units from North Korea has been impounded by port authorities in Cyprus and its crew held for questioning, a port security official said today.

The official said the Panamanian-flagged Gregorio 1 was seized on Tuesday at the southern port of Limassol on suspicion of arms smuggling following an Interpol alert. It was sailing to Syria's Latakia port.

''It was stopped because it was initially suspected of carrying weapons for Syria ... We had information from Interpol and action was taken on it,'' Fokas Riris, head of port facility security in Limassol told Reuters in London by telephone from Cyprus.

He said police had impounded 21 mobile radar units that were found aboard the ship, and that he crew were being held by police for questioning.

''They are saying the radar were supposed to be used for weather-related observation, but this kind of radar has multiple uses ... It's a serious matter,'' Riris said.

Chryssis Prenzas, chairman of Cyprus Ports Authority said they were vehicle-mounted radars.

''It doesn't appear to be military material but we are continuing to check the vehicles and the radars on them, to verify what they could be used for,'' Prenzas said.

''They (the vehicles) look military but appear to be old technology,'' he added.

Prenzas said the bill-for-lading identified the cargo as meteorological equipment.

Riris said the ship was also carrying steel pipes.

''Police are checking the rest of the cargo. It's up to the government and officials what will happen next,'' he said.

No officials from Interpol were immediately available for a comment.

REUTERS KD KP2336