only someone that didn't want the word to leak out that survivors of 815 had been discovered would have a motive to destroy the ship's radio. so who would qualify?
if widmore is controlling the freighter, i could see him ordering the destruction of the radio to keep word from getting out since it doesn't look like the freighter has any interest in rescuing the losties. the freighter crew can use the sat phones to communicate to whomever is commanding the crew so losing the comm equipment wouldn't hurt them.
ben certainly would like to keep word from getting out as would locke and most of his sheep. i suppose richard would be with ben, but none of those people could keep the crew from communicating via the sat phones regarding the survivors so word could ultimately get out.
does it follow that the person controlling the freighter is behind the destruction of the radio?
who else might benefit from destroying the radio?
So many theories, so little time...
I think the implication is that it was Ben's insider who destroyed the radio. Ben's primary motive all along has been to keep the island a secret, and he was clearly opposed to Jack calling the freighter-folk on the sat phone to begin with. Given that this is true, he certainly would want the freighter to lose contact with "him" (the guy who they are working for who Ben is apparently acquainted with as is proven by his conversation with Miles). Other than that, I can't really think of anyone else who would have a motive. The only evidence of Widmore's involvement in all of this seems to point to him being behind the freighter mission, not to him being opposed to it.
i am still not sure about this but i dont think everyone on that boat has the same agenda. the fact that minkowski was restrained (okay he was going a little loopy but at no point did he seem to be a danger!) and that they locked the sick bay door says to me that there are serious trust issues going on onboard the ship. i still think it was an inside job rather than someone came along seperate to the crew and damaged it.
What indicators do you have of this. Lost in VA? It's funny, everyone seems to be saying "Michael is the mole!" and yet no one seems to be supporting it with any facts or even a plausible situation where it could be the case. Like Bunny said, I think this would have had to be an inside job as there are some serious trust issues going on with the freighter-folk. I've said it many times and I'll say it again, I can't imagine the freighter-folk trusting a stranger like Michael enough to let him do damage and then to not even suspect him. Whoever is doing the sabotage must be someone who has been a plant for a long time, and this couldn't be Michael unless they're going to try to pull some time travel stuff on us (like Ben sent Michael at the incorrect bearing of 325 knowing that he would go back in time and thus be able to get onto the freighter team in the past and not be suspected) and that would just be stupid!
If Michael and Walt had made it to safety when Ben told them the headings to
leave the Island, the Oceanic 6 wouldnt have been so famous, because Michael
would of taken all that glory by his return. I think Ben still had a deal with Michael that included being rescued by the freighter and sabotaging their radio.
You're not answering my question. You said you had indicators that Michael was Ben's mole. Other than speculation, what indicators do you have? Also, remember that Michael, right before he was released, asked Ben "How do you know I won't go back home and tell everyone about this place?" and Ben told him that he knew he wouldn't because if he did than he would end up in jail. Michael murdered two people on the island, and if he ever told anyone that he was an Oceanic survivor he would be jailed. The implication was that Ben was able to release Michael because he was sure that Michael would never tell anybody out of interest for his son's future and his own wellbeing.
Again, 1. what indicators do you have that Michael is Ben's mole and 2. can you give me a plausible sequence of events, beginning with his departure from the island with Walt on the boat, that would result in his being the mole?
I agree with Rain there i find it highly unlikely that Walt and Micheal would be given unrestricted access to areas of the ship. If they are on the ship they are probably locked away or kept under tight watch.