Checkpoints leading to Arish are manned by soldiers brandishing assault rifles.

The statement included a picture of three men brandishing assault rifles and wearing what appeared to be bomb vests.

The hijackers then use the faster craft to intercept commercial vessels before boarding them brandishing assault rifles, and sometimes rocket-propelled grenades.

IRAQ: Brandishing assault rifles and grenade launchers, masked Islamists threatened in a taped message yesterday to behead any lawyers defending deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.