Two Sea Shepard’s activists that boarded a Japanese whaler were taken hostage while delivering a letter to the ship’s captain calling on them to stop the illegal killing of whales. The two were detained by the crew of the Yushin Maru No 2 and according to the Sea Shepards, tied to the radar mast and assaulted by the crew.

Taken hostage on the high seas? Sounds like terrorism to me. State and corporate sponsored terrorism, that is.

Regardless, the hostages have been freed.

From Sydney Indymedia:

“After three days being held hostage on the Yushin Maru No 2, two Sea Shepherd anti-whaling activists are being returned to the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin by the authorisation of the Australian Government to use the Customs and Fisheries patrol vessel Oceanic Viking as an intermediary.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said “What is required now to transfer those two men is the agreement of the Japanese Government, which we have, the agreement of the Australian Government, which we have,” Mr Smith said. “We now need the full and complete cooperation of the two vessels, the two captains and the two men concerned.” The transfer is ocurring now with the men already on board the Oceanic Viking.”