14 DAY TRIAL // A few weeks back, we reported on how Captain Paul Watson, the man behind green-oriented organization Sea Shepherd, experienced some problems and was forced to go into hiding after the Interpol issued a "red notice" for him at Costa Rica's request.
Back then, we quoted Susan Hartland's (i.e. administrative director for Sea Shepherd) opinion on this matter: “Costa Rica has been acting as a puppet throughout this case and we expect that to continue.”
Recent news on this conflict between Paul Watson and various nations informs us that Susan Hartland's statement was very much close to the truth.
Thus, it seems that, following Japan's explicit request, the Interpol issued a second "red notice" for Captain Paul Watson, which stands as proof of the fact that this country is more than determined to make sure this man will no longer interfere with their whaling agenda.
The official website of the Sea Shepherd organization argues that Japan's asking the Interpol to issue this "red notice" need be directly linked to Captain Paul Watson's being quite successful in not allowing Japanese vessels to hunt whales in areas that were internationally listed as wildlife sanctuaries.
Commenting on these recent developments, Susan Hartland made a case of how, “News of the filling of the requested 'red notice' from Japan does not come as a surprise. This is simply indicative of the lengths to which Japan will go to plunder our oceans.”
Apparently, both Captain Paul Watson and those working closely to him have been expecting this to happen for weeks, which is why news of the Interpol's issuing said "red notice" failed to take them by surprise.
Therefore, the Sea Shepherd organization was well prepared to challenge this notice on legal basis.
Moreover, Japan's going against Captain Paul Watson will not keep the organization from carrying on protecting the whales living in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.
“The Japanese whalers are sorely mistaken if they think another 'red notice' is going to stand in the way of Sea Shepherd's defense of the whales this season."
"It will in no way impact Sea Shepherd's next Antarctic campaign, Operation Zero Tolerance, whose goal is to send the whaling fleet home with zero kills,” stated Susan Hartland.