Italian Human Torpedo

Photo taken by the British of the first Italian human torpedo recovered after a failed attack on Gibraltar in 1940.

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British submarine docks in Gibraltar after five-year break

HMS Talent in Gibraltar yesterday, the first visit by a Royal navy submarine in five years.

The British military were out in force in Gibraltar yesterday, including the first visit by a Royal
Navy nuclear submarine in five years.

The Trafalgar-class ‘hunter killer’ submarine HMS Talent slipped into Gibraltar early yesterday morning, escorted by vessels from the Gibraltar Squadron and the Gibraltar Defence Police.

As is routine in such cases, the Ministry of Defence disclosed no information about the submarine’s visit.

An one-line statement contained the standard line that HMS Talent was visiting Gibraltar “…for a short stay as part of her scheduled operational tasking.”

As the submarine slipped alongside the Z-berth on the South Mole, there was ample activity at the other end of Gibraltar.

Two Royal Air Force C-17 cargo planes were parked on the runway on undisclosed business.

Unusually, the planes were parked on the tarmac close the civilian side of the airfield and away from the military section.

The MoD said little about the presence of the planes in Gibraltar other than that they were on a routine operational deployment. A spokesman would not comment on whether the presence of the planes and the submarine were linked.

‘WELCOME PRESENCE’

The Gibraltar Government welcomed the arrival in Gibraltar of HMS Talent.

“The movement of Royal Navy vessels is not a matter within the Constitutional competence of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

“All vessels of the Royal Navy and of allied powers invited into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters by Her Majesty’s Government are very welcome on the Rock.”

The last visit by a British nuclear submarine was in 2008, when the Swiftsure-class HMS Superb called at the Rock.

HMS Talent is described by the Royal navy as a technically advanced, nuclear powered ‘hunter-killer’ submarine, the penultimate in a series of seven Trafalgar Class submarines. Launched by Princess Anne in Barrow in Furness in 1988, the submarine has conducted operations all around the world.

The principal role of the ‘hunter-killer’ is to attack ships and other submarines. In this capacity, vessels of this type could support and protect a convoy or taskforce.

HMS Talent can also be used in a surveillance role as it is fitted with cameras and thermal imaging periscopes.

HMS Talent is also fitted with Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, which gives it a land attack role.

Policeman ‘shot’ at Europa Point is accused of fraud

A Military Policeman who was shot in a mystery shooting at Europea Point has been arrested.

GDP (Gibraltar Defence Police) officer Mark Galia, 38, is accused of fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He had apparently been shot while off duty on January 15, but it now appears it was a set up.

Three men were initially arrested and two guns were recovered in the aftermath of the incident.

Despite being treated in a Cadiz hospital for the bullet wound, it now appears that Galia set the whole shooting up.

Police confirmed that they are not looking for any other persons in connection with the incident.

“The three persons currently on police bail in connection with this inquiry will be released in due course,” explained a spokesman.

Foreign Office flies Gibraltar flag on Rock’s Day; last June 14 it was the Falklands’ flag

The Foreign Office will fly the Gibraltar flag on Monday, National Day in its building along Whitehall. Foreign Office ministers David Lidington and Mark Simmonds, respectively the ministers for Europe and the Overseas Territories, have said they welcome the raising of the Gibraltar Flag over the FCO in Whitehall to mark Gibraltar Day.

“From now on, the flags of each UK Overseas Territory will be flown over the FCO one day every year, to mark a significant day in each of their respective histories,” said an F&CO spokesman.

“I send my greetings and best wishes to all Gibraltarians ahead of Gibraltar National Day. It is a day to celebrate the people of Gibraltar, their community and identity. It is fitting that Gibraltar’s flag should be flown annually in London to mark this occasion,” said Mr Lidington, who has responsibility for the EU and Gibraltar.

Simmonds said he was pleased that the FCO will be “celebrating this new era of positive engagement between the UK and the Territories by flying their flags over our building in London. The Government is determined to show our commitment to this relationship in a year which has seen a number of important landmarks, including the publication of the White Paper”.

On 14 June, the flag of the Falkland Islands was flown over the FCO, 10 Downing Street and the Department for Communities and Local Government to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Islands’ liberation. The flags of all Territories were flown as part of the Diamond Jubilee pageant, and will be featured in future ceremonies of State.

The UK and the 14 Territories share a special and unique bond, with shared historical links that go back more than four centuries. In his foreword to the White Paper, the Prime Minister affirmed that the Territories remain ‘an integral part of Britain’s life and history’, an F&CO spokesman said.

There are fourteen UK Overseas Territories, eleven of which have permanent populations:

Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands are all in the Caribbean. Bermuda is in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The Falkland Islands and the Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are located in the South Atlantic. Pitcairn, with a population of less than 60 people, is the only Territory in the Pacific.

Gibraltar is the only Territory in the EU. The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekilia in Cyprus are an Overseas Territory but are not formally part of the EU.

The remaining Territories, i.e. the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (in the South Atlantic) do not have permanent populations.

The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekilia will not be included in the regular flag flying programme, but will continue to be represented by the Union Jack flag.

Spain announces plant to regulate fishing and bunkering in Gibraltar waters

Spain’s Foreign Minister issued a clear threat to Gibraltar in the latest salvo of words in the fishing dispute. Jose Manuel García-Margallo said Gibraltar’s stance in the row would lead to repercussions in other areas affecting the Rock.

Garcia-Margallo: “this is a two way street”, it all depends on the treatment that Gibraltar gives to “our fishermen

And in a serious development, he made clear that Spain would step up its efforts to regulate fishing, bunkering and other activities in its EU-approved nature site inside Gibraltar waters.

The Foreign Minister’s intervention followed persistent Spanish media reports that the Royal Gibraltar Police was ‘harassing’ Spanish fishermen at sea.

Speaking on Onda Cero radio during a wide-ranging half-hour long interview, Garcia-Margallo was asked about delays at the border and responded by linking them directly to the fishing dispute.

“This is a two way street,” he said. “The approach we take on other issues will depend on the treatment that the Government of Gibraltar gives to our fishermen”.

Garcia-Margallo added that Spain would ensure that Spanish fishermen were “protected” by the Guardia Civil and able to continue to fish close to the Rock. He said Spain wanted a negotiated solution but would “not be given the run-around” by Gibraltar.

The tough talk drew a sharp response from the Gibraltar Government, which said it would not be swayed from ensuring that the rule of law was maintained in Gibraltar waters.

“It is regrettable that official circles in Madrid have still not learnt the lesson that a policy of hostility and antagonism towards Gibraltar simply does not work,” said No.6 Convent Place in a statement.

“The latest threats from Spain are totally unacceptable between democratic partners in the European Union.”

“It is shameful that the government of a large and powerful country like Spain should continue to bully a small country like Gibraltar in this way.”

It added: “It is regrettable that official circles in Madrid have still not learnt the lesson that a policy of hostility and antagonism towards Gibraltar simply does not work”.

The Spanish minister’s comments coincided with the British Government once again restating its position on Gibraltar waters, this time in a written response to a question in the House of Commons.

David Lidington, Britain’s Minister for Europe and NATO, told the Commons that the British Government was “deeply concerned” by Guardia Civil incursions into Gibraltar waters.

“Spanish agencies do not have any jurisdiction in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters [BGTW],” Mr Lidington said. “We are confident of UK sovereignty over BGTW and are committed to upholding UK sovereignty”.

“We make this clear to the Spanish Government whenever appropriate.”

The Spanish Foreign Minister said Spain would soon seek to regulate certain activities inside its EU-approved nature protection site in Gibraltar waters.

The site is the subject of a legal challenge in Europe, but that has not deterred Spain from pushing ahead with plans to increase its role there.

Gibraltar demands action from UK, after latest incident with Spain’s Guardia Civil

The Gibraltar government has told the UK that 'the time has now come for action, not simply written protests from London to Madrid' in defence of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, following the latest incident where a Gibraltar vessel was boarded by the Guardia Civil in Gibraltar waters 'and forcibly conveyed' together with its occupants to Algeciras 'at high speed and without navigational lights.'

 Guardia Civil and Gibraltar patrol vessels have been involved in several incidents.

A Gibraltar government statement issued Sunday condemns the Spanish actions and adds that this latest incident on Friday night, as indeed all the others in recent years, 'are totally outside international law and the bounds of acceptable neighbourly behaviour.'

The strongly worded statement says that 'this belligerent act of provocation by the para-military armed forces of Spain cannot be allowed to go by unchallenged.'

The occupants, two British Gibraltarians, were illegally detained. This criminal false arrest and illegal detention continued for almost two hours, says the statement, which roundly condemns 'these criminal acts by Guardia Civil officers.'

The Gibraltar government adds: 'Guardia Civil actions such as these are not only invasions of our territorial sea which must be repelled by the Royal Navy; they also amount to criminal acts of unlawful detention, trespass and false imprisonment.'

All civic and political groups in Gibraltar will want to unite to roundly condemn these criminal acts by Guardia Civil officers, declare them unacceptable and call upon the United Kingdom Government to make good on its repeated position - most recently and clearly set out in the White Paper on the Overseas Territories - to defend the territorial integrity of Gibraltar by all means at its disposal in a reasonable, measured but effective way.

The time has now come for action, not simply written protests from London to Madrid.

The United Kingdom needs to ask itself how it would act if these events had been perpetrated by Argentine paramilitary forces in the oil and fish rich waters around the Falkland Islands or in the areas around the coast of the British Isles.

If necessary, the UK should further bolster the resources available in Gibraltar to defend the integrity of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters whilst at the same time use the full resources of its diplomatic arsenal to ensure that Spanish officials appreciate that the actions of the Guardia Civil officers involved are bankrupt of all legitimacy and are counterproductive in the extreme.

For its part, as has already been made public, the Government has already acquired new vessels for the RGP to assist in law enforcement activities. Two of these are the vessels that have already been delivered and other, larger vessels are in the process of being ordered and delivered in stages in coming months.

The lengthy statement calls for action by the UK to deliver 'maximum protection of the sovereignty, jurisdiction and control of the British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in every material respect'.

Andalucía, Costa de la Luz, Espana - Eight GR4 Tornados arrive in Gibraltar on Friday

The United Kingdom informed Spain some weeks ago of the military exercises which would be taking place in the Mediterranean

The armed forces on the rock say will be flying unarmed and carrying the minimum amount of aviation fuel to operate.

The Tornado can fire missiles with special precision and eight planes will be stationed on the Rock for ‘a month’, from where they will take part in the Mediterranean exercise on the high sea.

The eight GR4 Tornados will arrive from the Royal Air Force Ninth Squadron and their base in Norfolk.

The exercises over the Mediterranean will allow the pilots to ‘move the planes to their limits’. They will fly unarmed to lighten their weight and with as little fuel as possible.

British sources told Europa Press that the Mediterranean has been chosen because of the good weather conditions it offers.

Despite the fact that the planes will be parked at night at Gibraltar Airport, the Spanish Government has made no formal protest to the United Kingdom about the planes presence.

This despite the fact that the Spanish consider that the British slowly occupied the isthmus which now contains the airport. The isthmus was not mentioned in the 1704 Treaty of Utrecht.

Spanish diplomatic sources have said ‘The arrival and departure of British aircraft in Gibraltar ‘is not a motive for protest’, but they added that the lack of a protest has not changed the Spanish Governments position on the British ‘occupation’ of the isthmus one little bit.

The exercises will also see training for the SPAG Submarine Parachute Assistance Group, which is specialist in the rescue of the crew from British military submarines in an emergency.

The end of august will see more action from the Royal Navy, with the expected arrival of the destroyer HMS Diamond.