MSDF fuel was used in Iraq war, group charges

Fuel provided by a Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in February 2003 ended up being used for an Iraq-related operation, not for antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan as stipulated by law, a citizens' group that obtained copies of internal U.S. Navy documents claimed Thursday.</PARAGRAPH> <PHOTO> <TABLE WIDTH='250' ALIGN='RIGHT' BORDER='0'> <TR> <TD><IMG ALT='News photo' BORDER='0' SRC='../images/photos2007/nn20070921a2a.jpg' WIDTH='250' HEIGHT='158'/></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B>The Maritime Self-Defense Force ship Tokiwa –

supplies fuel to a Pakistani vessel in the Arabian Sea on Sept. 13 as part of Japan's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean. KYODO PHOTO

If the allegation proves true, it will severely damage the government's efforts to extend the controversial antiterrorism law, which expires Nov. 1.