Iran siezes 15 British servicemembers from Iraqi waters

Iran captured and took hostage 15 British sailors from Iraqi territorial waters this morning. Details seem somewhat limited -- but this is definitely an important story.

### Added 2:47 pm Central Time ###

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1257281,00.html

The eight Royal Navy sailors and seven Marines were seized by Iranian
troops while carrying out a routine inspection in what the British say
were Iraqi waters.

The men, from the Type 22 frigate HMS Cornwall, were seized in the Shatt Al Arab waterway.

The Royal Navy insists they were operating in Iraqi waters and not Iranian territory.

It also coincides with fresh claims of Iranian interference in Iraq
- UK commanders say Iran is arming and funding insurgents attacking
British troops.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4656603.html

Vali Nasr, a senior fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on
Foreign Relations, suggested Friday's detention could be connected to
the arrest of five Iranians in a U.S.-led raid in northern Iraq in
January. The U.S. said the five included a Revolutionary Guard general.

"I
think Iran sees this as retaliation for the arrest of their own
personnel. They have repeatedly said that they want their personnel
released," Nasr said. "So they are either signaling that they can do
the same thing or they are trying to bring attention to it."