by Alan Wade
“That is privileged information.”
“Rubbish. If you had any evidence at all you would have arrested my client on that evidence, not on something which may have happened in Turkey two years ago. Therefore I must insist you either let my client go immediately or offer some evidential reasons for his further detention.”
The room went silent for 5 or 6 seconds broken by Mr Gould who got to his feet. “Please return all personal belongings to Mr Johnson and sign the release documentation, my client will leave with me.”
Rock and Lawrence watched from their first floor office as the grey Jaguar pulled out of the police station car park.
“Got himself a damn good solicitor,” said Lawrence.
“Yes he did, and I suppose we had little to go on,” added Rock.
“Still it will have left Johnson in no doubt that we know.”
“Know what Sergeant?”
“That he’s up to something.”
“I was always so sure, but now I’m beginning to doubt it myself,” he wondered.
“Well, whatever we believe now sir we only have a couple of months to act,” replied Lawrence.
“Yes Sergeant, the phrase April Fool’s day, the day when I go back to my official duties may well prove how foolish we all are.”
Alan Johnson sat in the front seat of the Jaguar, locked his seat belt and leaned back into the luxurious leather seat.
“Nice car Mr Gould and thanks for your work in there. I knew they had nothing but circumstantial evidence but I don’t have your legal skills.”
“That’s my job and what you pay for Alan, now, where should I send my bill?” asserted Mr. Gould.
“To the bloody Major,” he growled then continued, “no, seriously, to 78 Sandiway; I’ll pay by return.”
“Thanks, now, where can I drop you off?”
“Just around the corner here, next to the Brown Cow, I think I’ll have a few pints before I go home.”
The Jaguar came to rest outside a small office computer shop and he shook hands with Mr Gould, exited the car and climbed the steps to the Brown Cow.
“Well, well, well. Look what the cat’s dragged in,” said Jacky, shaking her head, “your lamb chops are a little overdone Mr Johnson, so you’ll have to buy some more, that’s if you’re planning on staying this time.”
He walked into the snug which was empty, pulled up and sat on a bar stool, smiled at her, stretched out his hand to grasp hers and said, “I think I’ll stay this time love, please pull me a pint of bitter and get one for yourself.”
She pulled her hand away and turned to pull the beer.
“You’re a dark one Johnson, a bloody dark one.”
Chapter 13
February 3rd, Fethiya District, Turkey.
Onar Ibsick sat behind his desk and pondered the contracts which had arrived from the UK. The amounts ordered were twice those he had discussed in Rhodes in November and although he knew he could supply them he was concerned the WMD would run out from the one container submerged off shore in Olu Deniz.
He was running a bona fide business in Turkey and therefore used all communication techniques as a matter of course, all except those involving Mr Johnson which would always go via the Evening Standard and Manchester Evening News route. He picked up the phone and dialled Shan.
“I have just received orders from the UK for double the amount of fireworks we initially agreed to make. I can manufacture them but I will need more of our extra additives sir, I need a second container.”
Shan listened and responded, “OK, I’ll see what I can do; leave the container issue with me, I will respond within 24 hours.”
“Thank you, we’ll continue here as before. We now have over a hundred cylinders available to work with, so production will continue as normal for quite a while,” he replied.
“Good Onar, good; now, do you know the companies in the UK to send the orders to?” added Shan.
“I have their names and addresses and I will deliver it as agreed on a monthly basis, but just twice the volume.” He pondered for a moment then continued; “though I will need extra money to cover purchases and payroll.”
“I’ll get that to you immediately and come back to you about the container issue, goodbye Onar and thanks for the call.”
Shan put the telephone down, tapped into his computer and within 5 minutes monies had been transferred from Switzerland to the KOL bank in Turkey. His second task was slightly more complex, he needed to contact the people who could find him a second container. Amdarni was the first choice, followed by Hussein bin Hussein.
Captain Amdarni was very open about his understanding of the containers when he recognised Shan’s voice. He had sailed regularly into Bandar-e-Khomeyni to trade and he had taken three containers from Iraq which were now buried at sea. He had sailed out into the gulf through the Straits of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and into the Indian Ocean. He would check with Hussein bin Hussein but was sure that as he had already delivered one container he could deliver a second and he would ring back as soon as possible.
Two hours later it was confirmed that Amdarni would raise a second container, sail it to within 12 miles off the Turkish coast and make it available for Onar.
Onar had already started delivery of fireworks into the United Kingdom and with access to a second container there was no reason to believe he would not fulfil the total orders now in place, to be delivered between February and August.
Amdarni set sail from Valletta, Malta on the evening high tide with two containers on deck. His intention was to sail towards Gozo and when twenty nautical miles south of the island, raise the second of the three containers he had distributed in the Mediterranean Sea. It would be dark when he arrived at the location, giving him cover to raise the 40 foot container but what he was not aware of was the British Canberra flying a reconnaissance sortie 30,000 feet above him. The British had been using their Canberra jets on reconnaissance flights over the Mediterranean Sea and Iraq since the first Gulf War and although soon to be scrapped, they were still a valuable aid to both British and American forces in the Gulf.
He arrived at his location and within two hours he had three containers on his foredeck, after which he set sail for the Turkish coast.
The Canberra reconnaissance plane continued its flight towards Iraq then turned back, flying over Turkey, then the Mediterranean Sea towards Malta. It’s cameras continually recording images which were electronically sent to stations off Malta and in the UK.
Flight Captain Walshaw received a request from H.Q. Could he retrace his flight path back toward the Turkish coast; his objective to locate and film a small steam ship named SS Afyon which he had flown over earlier. The Captain had just enough fuel for the return flight and readily agreed, informing his reconnaissance Sergeant of the task. If the ship had not veered off course they had every chance of locating it and taking more pictures.
Canberras were essential for the constant reconnaissance over the Mediterranean and Iraq as they were a support tool for the satellites which could only capture images when in orbit. However the Canberras’ limitations were age and refuelling requirements and because of this Walshaw had eventually to land in Kuwait before he located the SS Afyon. It took eight hours before a second Canberra was made available which was to fly the same route as Walshaw with orders to locate the SS Afyon.
The information from these two flights was now being discussed by Captain Jowett and the Head of Naval Intelligence Mediterranean, Captain Cunningham. The pictures were unmistakeable in their interpretation. The SS Afyon had left Malta with two containers on her foredeck. Some time later, while still at sea she had three containers on her foredeck, as she steamed towards the Turkish coast. Then hours later she had returned to just two containers on her foredeck without apparently docking in any port.
Cunningham now had the full attention of J
owett and said to him, “I have heard of ships losing containers overboard when at sea, but never of them gaining one.”
“I agree with you, he starts off with two then has three and then goes and loses one again,” quipped Jowett.
“Absolutely, which is why I think you should sail to intercept the SS Afyon, board her and find out more of what she’s been up to.”
February 18th, SBCT Headquarters, England.
Commander Bagshaw was present with Major Rock for Cunningham’s debrief.
“Good Morning Gentlemen, we have asked you to attend this debrief because of its direct involvement with the Turkish desk and counter terrorism in general. In front of you is a file and you can see from the enclosed pictures and text that we have concerns about the SS Afyon and its motives,” Cunningham stopped to point at a large HD screen then continued, “as you can see the SS Afyon left Malta with just 2 containers on her foredeck on the high tide of the 3rd of February and we also can now confirm her log stated she left with just 2 containers.”
He pressed his hand held remote to change the picture, “some time later this reconnaissance of the ship shows three containers on board, yet she had not called at any port and the log shows no record of the third container.”
He then changed the picture to show the ship now steaming towards the Turkish coast then pressed his remote again and looked at the screen.
“This third shot on February the 5th shows the SS Afyon steaming away from the Turkish coast with just two containers, but yet again she has not called into any port and there is no log of any transfers at sea. Our judgement is that the SS Afyon has raised this container from the sea bed or taken it aboard from another ship then lowered it to the seabed off Turkey or onto another ship,” said Cunningham looking at his audience.
Bagshaw interrupted, “Captain, you said the log book stated she left with 2 containers, does this mean you have access to the ship?”
Cunningham nodded, “yes sir the destroyer HMS Bristol was asked to intercept the SS Afyon and made contact on the 6th of February. I will read extracts from Captain Jowett’s report; he is the Commander of HMS Bristol.”
‘At 1700 hours on the 6th of February, we requested permission to board the SS Afyon. Our requests were ignored and the Afyon set sail under full steam for the Turkish coast. The Bristol gave chase and fired two rounds across the bows of the Afyon. The Afyon then hove to and a boarding party was despatched from the Bristol. However, the boarding party came under small arms fire resulting in the death of one British sailor with two more injured, none seriously.”
He looked up at his audience, saw he had their full attention and continued, “’a second boarding party was despatched to attack the ship from starboard and eventually the ship was boarded. After a 30 minute fire fight the crew were subdued with 6 dead and 3 arrested.”
The Master of the Afyon, a Captain Amdarni had locked himself in his quarters which were eventually breached. However, Amdarni had shredded immense amounts of paper and documents before shooting himself dead through the temple. The ship was searched and little was found, but it did have a very superior airtight wash down system and heavy lifting equipment.”
Rock interrupted, “A wash down system Captain, for what purpose do you think it was installed?”
The Captain looked at his notes and turned to the next page, “we do have a statement from one of the surviving crew, which states the wash down system was installed many years ago by Iraqi personnel when Saddam Hussein was still in power. The wash down system was for personnel and had been activated occasionally when people entered one of the containers. It seems it was used as a decontamination system.” He then stopped to read his notes and concluded, “On the subject of containers, only two were found on board the Afyon.”
Rock responded, “did any of the survivors know where the third container had been placed?”
“No sir,” replied Cunningham, all the survivors have been interrogated on three occasions and it is now believed they have no idea where the container was raised or lowered in the ocean. We do have vague details of the times of the operations which lead us to believe the container was raised between 20 to 50 miles west of Gozo and lowered between 20 and 10 miles off the coast of Turkey; which is why you have been asked to attend this debrief I believe Major Rock.”
The Major nodded and replied, “Yes, thank you Captain. Now have you any idea where the container may have been lowered with regard to the Turkish coast line?”
Again the Captain referred to his notes and after a few seconds of silence responded, “the nearest town to the general location we believe to be Olu Deniz, however that’s just a guess sir.”
Bagshaw turned to Rock, “this is your desk and I think you should use your contacts in that area of Turkey to find out if anything suspicious is going on. Didn’t you go out to this region last year?”
The Major nodded, “I did sir, this is the area where the unidentified man was murdered and Alan Johnson holidayed. It seems a good coincidence that the container was lowered near Olu Deniz.”
“If we are to believe the crew Major, they did seem a little vague,” interrupted Cunningham.
The Major turned to Cunningham “Do you have a description of this Captain Amdarni?”
“Better than that, we have a picture of him taken from the SS Afyon.” The Captain opened his file and passed the picture to him, “There you are Major, we believe it was taken recently as it shows the ship in Malta, which when confirmed with the log proves the ship visited Valletta three times in the last twelve months.”
“Thank you sir, may I keep this?”
“Yes you may, you can also have an electronic copy of it; the address is on the back.”
“Thanks Captain,” Rock then turned to the group and said; “if you don’t mind, I have work to do with this, is there any further information you can give us Captain?”
“Not really, only that the hooks and chains on the crane were extremely long and rusted, which makes us believe they were used for lowering and raising the containers in a few fathoms of water. We also found two large black camouflage sheets which would cover the tops of forty foot containers.”
“It all points to them being lowered into the ocean.”
“Yes, Commander, that is our belief. We also believe the cargo to be very sophisticated sir, because you wouldn’t need decontamination systems for drugs, armaments, booze, etc.”
“No, but you would need them if you were dealing with radioactive or biological cargo,” interrupted Rock.
“Indeed sir,” responded Cunningham, “and this is our main concern, that somehow this Captain Amdarni had access to a container or containers which were filled with either atomic or biological weapons.”
“And it’s now somewhere in the sea off Olu Deniz,” replied Rock.
“Yes sir, this is our belief,” he turned to pick up his notes and turn off his lap top, “oh, just one more thing gentlemen, there were no mobile phones on board or lap top computers. When interrogated one of the crew said Amdarni ordered them to remove their sim cards and throw them overboard then throw in the phones ten minutes later. It seems he didn’t want anybody retrieving his mobile calls.”
“Can they be found?” enquired Rock.
“Not really sir, the Bristol followed the Afyon for more than eight nautical miles before she was boarded, that’s too much ocean to search for such minute equipment.”
The meeting was closed and it was agreed that Rock would contact Inspector Farouk in Turkey.
February 20th, Milton Keynes, England.
Major Rock had indeed contacted Farouk and it had been agreed with the Commander of Police in the Turkish region that three coast guard fast deployment motor boats would survey the seas around the Olu Deniz coast and along with the air force search up to twelve miles out to sea. He had informed Farouk about what the Brit
ish thought the containers carried and the Turkish authorities, although usually reticent to assist the British, were on this occasion more than helpful. No country wanted that kind of cargo close to its shores.
Farouk had also agreed to interview Mr Holler, the owner of the Blue Dolphin and armed with the picture of Captain Amdarni had confirmed with Holler that he was one of the men in the group who had met the previous year, on his shaded terrace.
Now armed with this information Rock requested of Commander Bagshaw that he re-interview Alan Johnson and hold him for 28 days under the anti-terrorism laws. The commander asked for patience, advising that to re-interview him now would give them no further information. Therefore it was agreed they would wait to see the outcome of the search off the Turkish coast. For now Alan Johnson would be observed but left to get on with his daily routine.
February 24th, Sheraton Pyramids Hotel, Cairo.
Shan had been asked to attend an urgent meeting with Hussein bin Hussein and they were both now sitting in the outside lounge area drinking tea and watching the various antics in the swimming pool.
Hussein leaned forward and passed a newspaper to Shan, “Read the article on page three, it will be of interest to you, the one about a cargo ship.”
Shan picked up the newspaper and read the report. After four minutes he closed the paper and placed it on the table next to his tea then remarked, “This may change quite a few things sir.”
“I believe it may, but it may not. Have you noticed the picture of the ship?” Hussein bent forward to retrieve the paper, turned to the page then pointing his finger at it said; “As you can see, it only has two containers on its foredeck; therefore Amdarni must have submerged the third container before he was killed and as the ship was boarded off the Turkish coast, I believe he had done as promised.”
Shan took the paper, looked at the picture and replied, “I can see that but the Turkish authorities will be looking for it if they think Amdarni submerged a container on their coast line. This means that Onar Ibsick may be in danger if he tries to retrieve any of the cargo.”