Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson will be remanded in custody for an extended period of time pending a court session to be held on May 26 in conjunction with the extradition order submitted by Norway, according to the public prosecutor in Haarlem, Netherlands, reports the Norwegian News Agency (NTB) on April 23. Furthermore, the Lofoten Islands Police, Norway, have announced that another trial against Watson is scheduled for September 1, in connection with his collision with the coast guard vessel "Andenes" during the summer of 1994.
Watson was arrested by Dutch police on April 2, after the Norwegian police had issued a warrant for his arrest via Interpol. Shortly before this, on Monday March 31, he had been arrested in Germany, but was released the following day. Norway has requested Watson's extradition in order for him to serve a 120 day unconditional prison sentence for his participation in the attempted scuttling of the combined fishing and whaling vessel "Nybrænna" in 1992. His wife, Lisa Distefano, has also been sentenced for her participation in the attempt.
At the trial, which is due to take place on September 1 at Lofoten County Court, Watson will be charged with negligent navigation which in turn led to the collision between his ship "Whales Forever" and the Coast Guard vessel "Andenes" on July 4, 1992; and for having transmitted false alarm signals, the NTB News Agency reported on April 22. In addition to this, his ship entered Norwegian territorial waters without permission.
At the same time, the Norwegian Navy will be seeking compensation from Watson for the damages inflicted upon the "Andenes". "The original amount was 854,000 kroner (approximately US$ 120,000). In addition to this, we will probably charge interest," says director Johan Wroldsen, chief legal officer at Army High Command, to the Norwegian newspaper "Aftenposten" on April 9.