https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgqep9pvygko
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/did-donald-trumps-us-just-112215672.html
Wed, 28 January 2026
THE US Government is being pushed to explain whether it ignored a Scottish court order and “abducted two people from Scotland”.
It comes after the captain and first officer of a Russian-flagged, Venezuelan-linked oil tanker captured by US forces were reported to have left UK waters, just hours after the Court of Session in Edinburgh issued an interim interdict prohibiting their removal from the territorial jurisdiction of the court.
Lord Young recalled the order on Tuesday, after the court was told that the US Department Justice had emailed Scotland's prosecution service at 03:04am to confirm the captain and first officer had been taken off the Marinera on to the US Coastguard ship Munro.
Aamer Anwar, the lawyer acting for Natia Dzadzama – the wife of the vessel Marinera’s captain Avtandil Kalandadze, had sought the emergency order. After news that the captain and first officer had left UK waters, he said the US had “no lawful authority to arrest or detain individuals within Scotland”.
He said the pair had been “whisked away under the cover of darkness [and] we have no idea what role our own governments played in that”.
“A dangerous precedent has been set as the US should not have the power to arrest people under our control – these people have been denied their most basic human rights right under our noses, whilst the UK knowingly assisted the US ‘abduction’ of two men from Scotland to avoid the Judicial Review taking place,” he claimed.
“These events raise serious constitutional and legal concerns. The removal of individuals from Scottish jurisdiction could not have occurred without the knowledge and cooperation of United Kingdom authorities.
“It is equally implausible that the Scottish Government was unaware of these arrangements. What has taken place is the effective removal of individuals from the jurisdiction in the face of live Judicial Review proceedings.”
Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the SNP Government had not been "furnished with full information" over the incident, including not being told that the Marinera was to be brought into Scottish waters .
"We have a number of questions, we have a number of concerns and deep frustrations about how this matter has evolved, because it is a matter of significant public interest and confidence," Constance said.
"The Scottish government wants to play our part in international justice because that is appropriate and responsible.
"But that starts with the recognition and respect that must be afforded to Scottish jurisdiction and Scots law."
Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer commented: “It very much looks like the US Government has just abducted two people from Scotland hours after our Court of Session ordered that they not be removed.
“The US is a rogue state. It's time to evict their troops from their de-facto base at Prestwick airport.”
A US Embassy spokesperson said in response: “The United States and the United Kingdom are coordinating regarding the status, processing, and prospective repatriation of crew members from the Bella 1, which was interdicted on January 7 in international waters and moved into UK territorial waters for safety reasons.
“US and UK officials across several agencies are working together closely to determine a way forward for final disposition of the ship.
The Russian-linked Marinera tanker pictured in the Moray Firth (Image: Peter Jolly)
“We appreciate the UK’s cooperation and support in the original interdiction of the vessel as well as with respect to ongoing processes regarding the ship and crew.
“As of January 27, 26 Bella 1 crew members have disembarked the ship. Their repatriation is being handled in line with standard UK immigration and legal procedures.
“Two members of the crew remain in US custody following their lawful arrest for violation of US law. They will be brought to the United States to face prosecution in a US court.”
On Tuesday, the Court of Session, sitting virtually, heard that 26 other crew members have left the ship and been processed at the army reserve centre in Inverness.
Solicitor General Ruth Charteris KC, representing the Lord Advocate and Scottish ministers, said, according to Police Scotland, none of them have claimed asylum. Five of them wish to travel to the US and 21 want to travel elsewhere, the court heard.
The Solicitor General said Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate have never at any point detained the crew, captain or first officer and have never had them in their control, and that no individual has been arrested or detained by any Scottish authority.
She said the Lord Advocate received a request for mutual legal assistance issued by US authorities on January 16, which was granted by the Lord Advocate subject to specific assurances and conditions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the crew.
She said it was a key requirement of this that all 28 were to be brought ashore to Scotland.
However, she said the request for mutual legal assistance was withdrawn on Sunday and confirmed in writing on Monday, meaning there was nothing the Lord Advocate or Scottish ministers could do about the situation.
Chris Pirie KC, representing the Advocate General, said the UK Governmentdoes not oppose the Solicitor General’s motion for the interim interdict to be recalled and the order ought not to stand in the way of the crew leaving voluntarily.
Clare Mitchell KC, representing Dzadzama, said the situation is “highly unsatisfactory”.
She said: “The very thing we were concerned about, which was the captain and first officer remaining here under the protection of our authorities and our court, has now been taken out of our hands by them having been removed.”