The American-operated ship carried thousands of tons of agricultural materials for the World Food Program and other aid organizations.

VOA: special.2009.05.27

The interception of the ship comes amid growing tensions between Israel and Iran over Teheran's nuclear program.

VOA: standard.2009.11.04

But Andrew Mwangura of the piracy specialist group East African Seafarers' Assistance Program says he believes the ship is one of the regular weapons carriers circumventing the U.N.arms embargo on Somalia.

VOA: standard.2009.11.10