U.S. Tries Deceit to Slip 2nd Convoy Into Gulf : 3 Reflagged Kuwaiti Tankers Set Sail With Navy Escort as Effort to Keep Departure a Secret Fails

A flotilla of American warships convoyed three Kuwaiti tankers into the Persian Gulf on Saturday, embarking on the second stage of the controversial U.S. escort operation with stealth instead of fanfare.

Despite efforts to depart secretly from waters off the United Arab Emirates port of Khawr Fakkan in the Gulf of Oman, the seven-ship convoy--four warships and three Kuwaiti vessels re-registered as American ships--was soon spotted by helicopters chartered by U.S. television networks and an unmarked frigate, believed to be Iranian, which followed a discreet five miles behind.

Apparent efforts by the Pentagon to keep the convoy’s departure secret to confuse the Iranians apparently also included “disinformation” moves in Washington, where Defense Department officials had leaked stories that the operation had been delayed by at least a week.

Will Reach Port Monday

Shipping officials here said they now expect the convoy to reach Kuwait by Monday, with the seven ships traveling at 15 knots.

They said that the relatively small size of the Kuwaiti vessels involved in the current convoy will allow the ships to skirt a deep-water channel near the Iranian island of Farsi, where the re-registered Kuwaiti supertanker Bridgeton struck an underwater mine in the first convoy on July 24.

When the present convoy was sighted about 12 miles out of Dubai, the ships were strung in a line stretching 12 miles.

Traveled in Straight Line

The ships traveled in a straight line, one following the other, alternating between a warship and a tanker, with the guided-missile cruiser Reeves in the lead. The other warships were the guided-missile cruiser Kidd and the frigates Crommelin and Jarret.

The Kuwaiti ships, which replaced their Kuwaiti flags with the American Stars and Stripes in clandestine ceremonies early Saturday, were the refined-products carriers Sea Isle City and Ocean City and the gas tanker Gas King.

According to cameramen in trailing helicopters, the convoy was not deploying any mine-hunting equipment during the first day’s sail.

U.S. naval personnel repeatedly warned approaching helicopters to remain at least two miles away from the convoy, but the network crews persisted and drew sharp rebukes from the warships.

Convoy Shadowed by Frigate

“Would like to stress that you are to remain two miles out from every ship in my formation for your own safety,” said one radio operator, who identified himself only as “U.S. Navy Warship.”

Five miles in the wake of the convoy, a vessel, identified as a type 42 British-built frigate, shadowed the American ships. The Iranians have followed Persian Gulf convoys in the past without incident.

On Friday, Iran completed four days of naval exercises in the Persian Gulf, which included mock attacks on foreign shipping and the test-firing of a land-to-sea missile.

Iran began acquiring Chinese-made Silkworm missiles about a year ago, and the United States has described them as a threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway leading into the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman, which is part of the Indian Ocean.

Vow of Vengeance

Following the exercises, Tehran radio commented Saturday that “our forces are ready to decisively crush any, probably American, attack in the gulf area.”

Iran has vowed vengeance for the deaths of several hundred Muslim pilgrims killed July 31 at Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in rioting during the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Islam’s holiest shrine. Iran has loudly accused the United States of “ordering” the killing.

Saudi Arabia reported that 402 victims, including 275 Iranians, were killed in the rioting set off by Iranians that caused a stampede among the pilgrims, many of whom were elderly and infirm. The Saudi report is backed by most of the rest of the Islamic world.

Mines Still a Threat

Saturday’s convoy did not wait for eight Navy minesweeping helicopters that the Pentagon has dispatched from the U.S. base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. The helicopters were placed aboard the carrier Guadalcanal, which sailed for the Persian Gulf last week.

American officials believe there still may be mines in the channel near Farsi Island, where the Bridgeton ran into trouble.

Another channel, one that leads to Kuwait’s offshore oil terminal, was cleared of mines by a team of U.S. “mine countermeasures” experts, working with the help of Kuwaiti vessels and Saudi minesweepers.