[Glenn.]

ANTI-TERROR cops are on high alert to stop fanatics attacking a bomb-laden shipwreck in the Thames estuary, The Sun can reveal.



Crack amphibious specialists are ready to defend the SS Richard Montgomery – which experts say would flood vast swathes of the South East if its dangerous cargo was exploded by jihadists.

The American World War Two ship – dubbed the Doomsday Boat – contains 1,400 tonnes of unexploded munitions and lies in shallow waters off the Kent coast.

Ministers have revealed round-the-clock radar and video surveillance is watching the wreck to provide an early warning system against a devastating attack.
Suspicious signs trigger alerts to the Coastguard and Kent Police, who have a specially-trained marine force.

They can also call in support from the South East Counter Terrorism Unit if required.

A New Scientist report in 2004 warned the ship would create one of the largest non-nuclear blasts ever seen if it exploded, causing more than £1 billion of damage.

It would devastate the nearby port of Sheerness and engulf the Isle of Sheppey which is home to almost 40,000 people.

Experts say it would also create a “tsunami-like wave” which would sweep up the River Medway, flooding thousands more homes and ruining towns and villages.

Towns like Gravesend, Canvey Island and Southend could also be badly affected.

A security source said: “Terrorists could create a lot of damage for very little effort if they blew this thing up. It is no surprise the ship has been branded a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.”

Details of the anti-terror measures were slipped out by Transport Minister Robert Goodwill last week as MPs debated extending anti-IS bombing raids into Syria.

In a written Parliamentary question, local MP Gordon Henderson asked: “What steps he is taking to monitor the security of the SS Richard Montgomery and prevent terror attacks on it?”

Mr Goodwill replied: “Medway Port Authority, which guards the wreck under contract to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, provides: 24 hour surveillance of the wreck, both visually and by radar; patrols of the area around the wreck; and an initial response to any potential incursions into the prohibited area.

“Incursions, and incidents likely to result in an incursion, are reported immediately to the Police and to HM Coastguard so that appropriate specialist support can be provided.”

Ministers have spent years grappling with what to do about the dangerous cargo, which lies in 50ft of shallow water about 1.2 miles off the coast.

SS Richard Montgomery sank on August 1944 after grounding on a sandbank en route to deliver munitions to the UK and France.

Its masts are still visible and it is supposed to be protected by a 500m exclusion zone.

But fears it could be easily targeted by terrorists deepened in June when a paddleboarder posted photos online of him posing alongside the wreck.

If that thing goes off, I'm a goner

[JoshBB]

Southend?? **** I live really close to there

[Glenn.]

I literally live on the island it will wipe out first.

[JoshBB]

Why is this not being cleared up?

[the truth]

how long have they been down there? time to massively step up border control, stop the Schengen agreement and chuck out all illegal immigrants

[JoshBB]

Also was it really wise of the sun to publicise the location and details like this? Doesn't this mean terrorists who didn't know about it, now will?

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

Why is this not being cleared up?

Because its too dangerous to poke about and do anything with.

[King Gizzard]

My brother lives there

And I guess I'm south east too

[James]

I don't know a lot about it, but I'm guessing it would be difficult to make all the explosives go off at once?

[Glenn.]

I should imagine so tbh. Its been there for years and nothing has happened so far. It just ominously pokes out of the water.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

Also was it really wise of the sun to publicise the location and details like this? Doesn't this mean terrorists who didn't know about it, now will?

fair point

[King Gizzard]

/just generally there will be loads of people having a nosy

I'd never heard of it before now

[Tom4784]

If it was that easy to weaponise the wreckage and blow it up then I'm guessing it would have been done already.

It just sounds like scaremongering to me.

[Kizzy]

From the Sun?..... nah....

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

If it was that easy to weaponise the wreckage and blow it up then I'm guessing it would have been done already.

It just sounds like scaremongering to me.

And to me. It is sensationalist crap to sell papers.

[Mitchell]

Yeah I'm a goner too if that **** goes off.

If so I hope TIBB will organise a weave to be put on my coffin rather than a wreath, although none of this Khia crap at my wake xx

(I better change my signature, wouldn't want my everlasting memory on TIBB to be about Justin Bieber's willy)

[Drew.]

And I thought I was safe in my small town down South

[T*]

omg bye jay

[T*]

wait this came up as a recent thread on shatatalk
sorry for bumping

[Jay.]

Originally Posted by Mistletom*

omg bye jay

Erm I'm south west

[T*]

Originally Posted by Jaysus

Erm I'm south west

-drives you to south east anyway-

[user104658]

How did I miss this the first time round? Ahh the papers are good for a laugh sometimes.

"BREAKING NEWS!!! ISIS making really long rope, plan to use it to pull the moon down to earth, causing devastating tidal forces to destroy every continent."

[Samm]

welp I've never heard about this doomsday ship before

[Glenn.]

Toy Soilder please don't mock. I live in fear of this ship blowing up everyday. The struggle is real.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Good King Glennceslas

Toy Soilder please don't mock. I live in fear of this ship blowing up everyday. The struggle is real.

Yes the risk of it blowing up might be real, but terrorists specifically targeting it? It doesn't seem very likely. Like a James Bond villain scheme.