HASH BOAT SUNK IN FLAMES

A Canadian warship patrolling the Arabian Sea seized a vessel carrying an
estimated two tonnes of hashish and later teamed with an American ship to
sink the smuggler in an impromptu target practice.

HMCS Toronto was in international waters off Pakistan Wednesday watching
for suspected terrorists fleeing the region when it sighted a dhow towing a
speedboat.

Two men jumped from the dhow into the speedboat and fled. The Toronto then
investigated the dhow, which was travelling in slow circles.

"That's a hazard to navigation, so we decided to board her," Cmdr. Ian
Paterson, the Toronto's captain, said yesterday by phone.

A five-member party clambered aboard the 15-metre boat and found 20
packages about the size of cement blocks in one of the holds.

They cut one open and found it stuffed with bricks of hash, each stamped
with the words Freedom for Afghanistan.

Paterson said the bags weighed about 25 kg each. He estimated there were
70-90 hash bags on board.

"That's a big find, a significant find," Commodore Jean-Pierre Thiffault
said in an interview from coalition headquarters in Tampa, Fla.

"And if you're able to deny the enemy that much money in one opportunity
then it's a significant event."

The Canadian frigate reported its find to the American naval commander in
charge and towed the dhow south overnight.

Yesterday Toronto and its prize met the American cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and
were ordered to sink the vessel with its cargo. The ships took turns
blasting it for two hours before it sank in flames.

"Wooden vessels are amazingly robust," Paterson said. "You can hit it with
a shell and frequently the shell will pass right through but the wood stays
afloat."