The pretexts PVI applied to commit the aforementioned crimes 1.   'Anti-piracy' pretext Although the detained members and the discovered documents reveal that the institution provides 'anti-piracy' service in Red Sea international waters 17°N to 18°E, no act of piracy whatsoever has occurred in the aforementioned part of the Red Sea (north of Dahlak Island). When PVI deployed its members in the Red Sea 17°N to 18°E in November 2010 under the guise of fighting piracy, it immediately resorted to infiltrating 30 nautical miles deep inside sovereign Eritrean territorial waters on 22/12/2010 through its speed boat RED RIBS. Following the surveillance of the Romia Island, it used it as a safe haven for hiding its military hardware and equipment, as well as the base for its armed members during the period between the end of November to 23 December 2010. This act has been confirmed by the documented and material evidences seized. Such acts are tantamount to invasion and violation of sovereign Eritrean territory, having no correlation to piracy and anti-piracy activities. 2.   Pretext under tourist cover At a time when members of the PVI approached the Finan Shipping and Port Services Corporation via their facilitating agent in Djibouti, Christopher Alan Collison, they requested that he serve as a facilitating agent for obtaining food stuff and fuel from the Massawa Port that would be used by tourists who crossed to Djibouti via Egypt originating from the UK. Besides, the PVI agent who traveled from Djibouti to Eritrea to facilitate the issue of the institution, approached the Eritrean Embassy in Djibouti and requested for a tourist visa. The discovered documentary evidence also proved that the armed members of the institution who remained in hiding at Romia Island along with their weapons were informed by the institution to appear as "tourists keen to observe sharks" in a bid to cover up their true identity.    3.    Pretext under the guise of loading food stuff and fuel supply Loading food stuff and fuel supply was a ploy employed by PVI members to enter Massawa, which in itself constitutes a pretext. And this in view of the fact that if at all the PVI really provides anti-piracy service, it has ample opportunity to secure food stuff and supplementary fuel supply from the big commercial ships to which it provides its so-called service within the periphery of international waters and without wasting extra fuel. However, putting aside such opportunity, the institution used the loading of food and fuel as a guise for engaging in other missions.  After undertaking surveillance and intelligence work at Harmil Island through its ship and speed boats, it deployed and hid armed members along with military hardware in the sovereign Eritrean Island of Romia. Entering Massawa originating from the Island through the sea route which was not familiar at all to any ship or boat before, constitutes a continuation of its acts of espionage, sabotage as well as surveillance activities, and not for the simple reason of obtaining food stuff and fuel supply. Moreover, if at all the PVI was in real need of food stuff and fuel from Massawa Port, it would have had no problem whatsoever to obtain entrance permit through the usual practice of revealing its true identity, the number of its members as well as weapons in its possession to the Eritrean authorities. However, it made futile attempts to enter the country under a number of aggressive pretexts, simply because its intention and mission objectives were in essence hostile. 4.    Legal accountability of PVI and its members 1.    PVI committed acts of invasion against sovereign Eritrean territorial waters and islands from November to December 2010 by deploying a number of armed members along with various military hardware at Romia Island using KN252 SEA SCORPION and 2 speed boats. In doing so, the institution repeatedly used the Island as a base and safe haven of its armed members and arms depot. As a result of such acts of invasion, Domenic Mee and his institution, as well as the 4 detained individuals, including the 22 PVI members that escaped who repeatedly infiltrated into sovereign Eritrean territorial waters and islands are to be held accountable for the act.  2.    On 19/12/2010, 21 members of the PVI (including those 4 detained) infiltrated and deployed different types of weapons, poison-tipped bullets, bulletproof vests, specialized communication equipment and infrared night-vision binoculars in the sovereign Eritrean Island of Romia. There is high possibility that such military hardware is intended for perpetrating acts of terrorism and sabotage.  Hence, the members are accountable for infiltrating into the sovereign Eritrean Island of Romia and stashing weaponry, for orchestrating acts of espionage and terrorism. 3.     The head of PVI is to be held accountable for undertaking spying activities through RED RIB spee

• published: 07 Jun 2011
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