Australia Starts to Crack Down on Sea Shepherd Leader

The Australian government appears to be cracking down on Sea Shepherd at the request of the Japanese. Earlier this year they seized records and videos from the Steve Irwin, and are now holding up Paul Watson's visa requests.

The Federal Immigration Department has cracked down on Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson, demanding to know the anti-whaling group leader's police and court records as it reviews his visa.

Until now, authorities had let Captain Watson, who holds a US passport, come and go from his Australian-based ship on a tourist visa.

The department has told him he must satisfy exhaustive new good-character requirements to get a business visa.

I expected better from the Rudd government. Maybe the Japanese have something on him...