US, Panama spar on who arrests mutinous sailors

The United States and Panama haggled over the right to arrest five sailors who allegedly staged a mutiny aboard a Panamanian freighter in the Gulf of Mexico, killing their chief officer. The US Coast Guard and an FBI special-weapons team captured the Panamanian freighter from the armed men on Saturday, but could not arrest them because the incident occurred in international waters.

An FBI spokesman said armed guards from a private company hired by the shipping firm were on board and would stay until the ship returned to Panama, where the men would be turned over to authorities. No motive is known for the mutiny.