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US Navy Tightens Protection of Warships
The US Navy is taking measures to protect its warships in American seaports, including new harbor barriers and small boat patrols, to prevent a repeat of last October's deadly bombing of the destroyer Cole in Yemen, a senior admiral said Tuesday.
Robert Natter, commander of the US Atlantic Fleet, said at a press conference that he was spending millions of dollars on increased security in East Coast ports.
The admiral said he was concerned for the safety of civilians who innocently approach Navy ships.
"I just really worry about hurting innocent people. But I also worry about protecting our ships," Natter said.
He stressed that the Navy was forbidden to use force against those approaching a ship unless "they exhibit a threat to us."
In the past, he said, the Navy had to no avail urged environmental and other protest groups such as Greenpeace to refrain from "violating our security zones."
Natter was a key figure in the Navy investigation of the apparent suicide bombing that ripped a hole in the side of the USS Cole in Aden harbor on October 12 last year, killing 17 sailors.
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