The Threat of Modern Piracy- A Merged Thread

[CougarKing]

A step in the right direction?

More than $200M pledged to beat Somali pirates

(CNN) -- Countries have pledged $213 million at an international conference to boost security in Somalia and halt the country's growing piracy problem.

Somalia's prime minister says the international naval patrols are having little effect on the piracy problem.

"We have a unique opportunity to support leaders who have shown a commitment to building peace and rebuilding the Somali state," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "By opening the space for security, we open the door to a better life for Somalia's people."

"The risks of not supporting the new government are too high and the costs of failure too enormous," Ban added.

Organized by the European Union, the conference included leaders from the United Nations and African Union.

As the pledges rolled in, Somalia's prime minister said international naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden were not solving the problem of piracy in the region.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke pointed to the recent increase in pirate attacks as evidence, and called for the U.N. arms embargo on Somalia to be lifted so the government can fight back against the pirates and militant Islamist groups.

"One of our biggest problems is that al-Shabaab has AK-47s, and the pirates have AK-47s, and the government has AK-47s," the prime minister said in Nairobi, Kenya. Al-Shabaab, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization, is an Islamic militant group that controls much of southern Somalia.

"You can't expect the government to win against such a problem. The only way is to have sufficient capability, and it starts with lifting the arms embargo. You know, we have been handicapped by those sanctions."

The arms embargo on Somalia has been in effect for more than 16 years. Most serviceable weapons and almost all ammunition currently available in the country have been delivered since 1992, in violation of the embargo, according to the U.N. Security Council.

Pirate attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia's coast accounted for 61 of the 102 attacks during the first quarter. That compares with six incidents for the same period in 2008, said the International Maritime Bureau, which issues regular reports on piracy worldwide.

The European Union and several nations, including the United States, have naval forces in the region to protect vessels against pirate attacks. The head of EU naval forces in the waters off Somalia said he thinks navies can defeat pirates on the high seas, but ultimately restoring long-term stability to Somalia will be what stops the attacks.

Still, Rear Adm. Philip Jones said: "It'll be a long period of time before that's successful, and we must be ready to secure the seas until that's in place."

"Assisting Somalia's new government to establish increased security and stability across the country is critical for tackling the root causes of piracy," the EU said in a statement about the international conference in Brussels, Belgium. "Recent events show that piracy is increasingly putting in jeopardy the security of ships in the Gulf of Aden and in the wider maritime region."

A dramatic increase in activity by Somali pirates led to a near-doubling in the number of pirate attacks globally in the first quarter of 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Ahead of the conference, Ban indicated that he was not ready to send U.N. troops to Somalia. The idea of a U.N. peacekeeping force is divisive, he said, and "could exacerbate the conflict if pursued too soon."

Instead, Ban recommended supporting the existing African Union force in Somalia, helping build Somalia's security institutions and supporting political reconciliation in the country. If that works, the United Nations would open a political office in Somalia to support the country's political process, Ban said.

Then, if the U.N. presence succeeds, the Security Council could decide on a U.N. peacekeeping operation to take over from the African Union force, he said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/0...html#cnnSTCText

 

[The Bread Guy]

German hostage-rescue mission scuppered:

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
Geman Elite Troop Abandons Plan to Free Pirate
Hostages
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,622766,00.html#ref=nlint

A bit of commentary on this from the US's Naval Institute's blog....

.... If these reports are confirmed, the German attempt to free its hostages with the help of U.S. military assets, including the USS Boxer, demonstrates the high level of international cooperation required to control the spread of global piracy at both the tactical and strategic levels.  Though this particular operation seems to have been called off for good reason, the high level of international and interagency collaboration should, nonetheless, be applauded and must continue. No nation has a monopoly on the military, economic or political tools that are required to end the piracy problem. It will only be though international teamwork that the world can hope to find a real solution ....

 

[Pat_Y]

Well if this has already been brought up I am sorry but I was not going to read through 47 pages of information.

I just wanted to bring this up. But I do believe that the long term solution here has to be something that addresses the issues on the main land of Somalia... ok now just calm down and take a breath, we all know what has happened there in the past but I don’t see many other option here. Sending more and more ships will help to slow the attacks but it will not fix the route of the problem in the long run. The people who are launching these attacks are doing this for a reason. And that reason is money... with money you can have food. I think it is time we take a good hard look here and see if we are just trying to take the easy way out by sending ships and just applying a temporary fix to an extremely large and difficult problem. Another question I guess must be asked is ... do we care enough to send another international force to try to help?


I am aware that in the most realistic sense that a military force will not be sent back in. I am just pondering ideas and that is all. If I have offended anyone here I am sorry but these are just my personal views.

As for my second idea, (and I do believe this is considered an act of war) just lay a 2 mile wide strip of mines across the Somali coast.

 

[CougarKing]

Well if this has already been brought up I am sorry but I was not going to read through 47 pages of information.

Yes it has been brought up at least once before. It really pays to read the more recent posts if you don't want to read the whole thread. The ff. posts may help you get started:

http://forums.navy.ca/forums/threads/67625/post-835035.html#msg835035

http://forums.navy.ca/forums/threads/67625/post-839289.html#msg839289

 

[Pat_Y]

Thank you for that. I  did read the last dozen pages but I might have skipped over it. Thank you again and I will keep that in mind.

By the way good topic!

 

[CougarKing]

Bravo to the Italian Navy/La Regia Marina.

Italian navy scares off tanker-attack pirates
AFP
Tue May 5, 10:20 am ET

ROME (AFP) – Pirates attacked a tanker in the Gulf of Aden but were forced to flee when the Italian navy came to the carrier's rescue, ANSA news agency reported Tuesday.

The Neverland, owned by Italian shipping company Finaval and carrying liquified natural gas, was attacked by a pirate vessel, but the nearby Maestrale frigate sent ahead a helicopter before joining the pursuit, the agency added.

No shots were fired, ANSA underlined.

MAESTRALE (F 570)

Italian ships have evaded pirate attacks on several occasions over recent weeks.

The pirates are working the last days of favourable weather conditions, in between monsoon seasons that make approaching and boarding large high-sided ships more difficult.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090505/wl_af..._20090505142058

 

[CougarKing]

Here we go again. This has been the 2nd time the USNS Lewis and Clark has been attacked, IIRC.

Somali pirates seize Dutch ship, try for one USN ship
AP
By MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED,Associated Press Writer - 56 minutes ago

NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates captured a Dutch ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday and a U.S. military supply ship evaded an armed attack by pirates in the same region, one of the world's busiest and most dangerous waterways.

The Netherlands Antilles-flagged MV Marathon was seized 115 miles (185 kilometers) southeast of the Yemeni port of Mukalla, according to Lt. Cmdr. Virginia Newman, spokeswoman for the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces, which is made of 23 countries trying to fight high-seas piracy.

"The cargo was coke, a type of fuel-like coal," Newman said.

She said the ship listed 19 crew members but it was not clear how many were actually onboard when it was seized or what their nationalities were.

Meanwhile, an American supply ship that recently served as a prison for captured pirates evaded an attack in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast by two boats that pursued it for over an hour and fired light weapons.

Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman for the Navy's 5th Fleet, says the pirates closed within a mile of the USNS Lewis and Clark on Wednesday before it increased speed and used evasive maneuvers to escape.

USNS Lewis and Clark


In Romania on Thursday, the wife and mother of two Romanian sailors on another ship hijacked in the Gulf of Aden this week made an emotional plea for their safety.

Elena Sarchizian told Associated Press Television News that she would give "my heart and soul" to have her husband and daughter safely returned and added she has been praying ever since she heard about the kidnapping.

The MV Victoria, a German cargo ship with 11 Romanian crew, was captured by Somali pirates on Tuesday. Sarchizian's husband Hartin is the ship's chief mechanic and her 30-year-old daughter Ruxandra is a naval officer on the ship.

The Kru Martime recruiting company said eight of the 11 sailors are from Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta, including the Sarchizians.

The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, connecting Europe and Asia via the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is used by 20,000 ships a year and has become the world's hot spot for pirate attacks.

At least 19 ships and over 250 sailors now being held hostage by Somali pirates. Last year, 42 ships were seized and pirates earned an estimated $1 million or more in ransom each time they freed a ship.

The pirates operate freely because Somalia has had no effective central government in nearly 20 years. Nearly every public institution has crumbled and the U.N.-backed government controls only limited territory and is fighting an Islamic insurgency.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090507/twl...cy-1be00ca.html

Marines patrol Gulf of Aden skies for pirates
An AH-1 helicopter escorts a UH-1Y helicopter while U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Campbell prepares an M2.50 caliber machine gun in support of counter-piracy surveillance operations over the Gulf of Aden, April 6, 2009. Hijacked Maersk-Alabama cargo ship captain Richard Phillips was rescued by U.S. Navy forces, killing three pirates, on April 12, 2009. (UPI Photo/Robert C. Medina/U.S. Marines)

 

[CougarKing]

So will we be seeing armed merchantmen soon?

Shipping company head wants to arm vessels against pirates

May 5, 2009 -- Updated 2258 GMT (0658 HKT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The head of a shipping company recently victimized by pirates off the Somali coast told lawmakers Tuesday that U.S. cargo crews should be allowed to arm themselves in response to the rising hijacking threat.

In April, pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to board.

Philip Shapiro, head of Liberty Maritime Corp., told a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee that the owners of U.S.-flagged "have done all they can within the law to protect our crews."

Unfortunately, he said, U.S. vessels are still largely at the mercy of pirates in shipping lanes around the heavily trafficked Gulf of Aden.

"In light of the recent threats to U.S. merchant mariners, we respectfully request that Congress consider clearing the obstacles that currently block ship owners from arming our vessels," Shapiro said.

Pirates unsuccessfully attempted to board the Liberty Sun, a cargo vessel owned by Shapiro's company, near the Somali coast on April 14. The ship was on a humanitarian relief mission at the time, carrying 47,000 tons of food to Mombassa, Kenya.

Pirate leaders later said the attempted hijacking was carried out as revenge after the U.S. Navy killed three pirates involved in a failed attack on the cargo ship Maersk Alabama. The slain pirates were holding Capt. Richard Phillips, who was in charge of the Alabama when it was boarded April 8.

"We've heard some suggestions that U.S.-flagged ship owners have not done enough to protect their vessels," Shapiro said. "That view ... is flat wrong. Our company adopted every measure recommended by the international maritime organizations and required by the Coast Guard's approved security plan for making the vessel a difficult piracy target -- and more."

Merchant vessels don't usually carry firearms, he said, but the "Maersk Alabama incident constitutes a game changer. ... Self-proclaimed pirate leaders have now issued direct threats of violence against American merchant mariners."

Shapiro said that U.S. crews have a right to self-defense under U.S. laws dating back to 1819, but "recently enacted State Department arms export regulations effectively prohibit the arming of vessels."

He also said that ship owners are at risk of "being second-guessed in U.S. and foreign courts for self-defensive measures that were common in 1819."

Shapiro urged congressional leaders to help "bring U.S. law up to date and give us the legal framework we need to be able to protect ourselves."

Until then, he said, U.S. naval escorts or government security teams will be required for U.S. vessels on high-risk transits.

Shapiro was joined at the committee hearing by Phillips, who said the most desirable response would be the establishment of U.S. military escorts as well as military detachments.

Phillips repeated an assertion he made before a separate Senate committee last week that arming vessels' crews could provide an effective deterrent -- but only under certain limited circumstances.

"Unless the root causes of piracy are addressed [on land], piracy will continue to expand and evolve into an even greater threat for American and foreign seamen," Phillips said.

A Transportation Department official testifying at the hearing noted that the ships most vulnerable to attack are those built low to the water with insufficient top speeds.

Ships need to be able to accelerate to "a high rate of speed [for] aggressive maneuvering" and should have high walls that are tough for pirates to scale, said Undersecretary of Transportation Roy Kienitz.

He recommended that ship owners mandate a range of "best practices," including having fire hoses to spray water over the side of a ship and extra manning for watches during dawn and dusk, when attacks are tougher to detect.

Shapiro said that the crew of the Liberty Sun was able to fend off the pirate attack in part by rigging fire hoses to cover the stern of the vessel and "create a virtual flood wall of water coming off the ship."

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, applauded the efforts of the crews on both the Alabama and the Liberty Sun.

"These bandits have to be stopped," he said at the opening of the hearing.

"Violence and lawlessness will not be tolerated whether on land, in the sky or at sea. We have a duty to protect the ships that proudly fly America's flag."

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/05...ring/index.html

 

[CougarKing]

Good.

Spanish navy detains suspected pirates off Somalia

14 hours ago

MADRID (AFP) — A Spanish navy warship on Thursday captured seven suspected pirates who they said tried to attack a merchant ship off the Somali coast, the Spanish government said.

They intervened in response to a call for help from the Maltese-flagged Anny Petrakis, the defence ministry said.

They sent their helicopter to the scene, at which point the pirates to aborted their attempt to board the merchant ship, said the ministry statement.

The suspects tried to flee but surrendered after the helicopter fired several warning shorts. Spanish marines also confiscated two guns and a grenade launcher.

A Spanish judge on Thursday ordered the defence ministry to bring another seven men detained the previous day to Spain for questioning.

The same navy ship, the Marques de la Ensenada, captured the seven in the Indian Ocean Wednesday after the suspects' boat capsized as they tried to board the Panamanian-flagged vessel the Nepheli.

The warship is part in European Union anti-pirate patrols in the region.

Marques de la Ensenada

Last month the Spanish detained nine suspected Somalian pirates believed to have launched a failed attack on an Italian cruise ship. It handed the nine suspects over to the authorities in the Seychelles.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/artic...uWAU4Vg2UTZLLTA

 

[Yrys]

Russia captures Somalia pirates, BBC News Tuesday, 28 April 2009

A Russian warship has seized a pirate vessel with 29 people on board off the Somali coast,
Russian news reports say. Guns and navigation equipment were found during a search of
the pirate boat, officials were quoted as saying.

They said the suspected pirates were thought to have launched two unsuccessful attacks
against a tanker with a Russian crew. Russia is one of the countries that has deployed naval
ships against pirates operating in the area.


Pirates free UK ship for ransom, BBC News , Saturday, 9 May 2009 21:31 UK

Somali pirates have released a British-owned cargo ship, the Malaspina Castle,
after more than a month following the payment of an undisclosed ransom.The
32,000-tonne vessel, which has a mainly Bulgarian crew, was seized on 6 April
in the Gulf of Aden while carrying a cargo of iron.

A Bulgarian government official confirmed the ship's release, saying the pirates'
demands had been met. He said that all members of the 24-strong crew were
in good health. Apart from 16 Bulgarians, they include several Russians,
Ukrainians and Filipinos.

"The demands of the hijackers were met and the ship has been freed," said
Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Milen Keremedchiev.

Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the East African Seafarers Assistance
Programme, based in Mombasa, Kenya, confirmed the release of the vessel.
"It was freed today," he said on Saturday. "Ransom was paid a week ago."

Heavily armed Somali pirates continue to attack shipping in the Indian Ocean
and Gulf of Aden despite the presence of international warships and a string
of recent operations against them in recent months, some of which resulted
in bloodshed.

 

[old medic]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/11/somali-pirates-london-intelligence
Somali pirates guided by London intelligence team, report says
Document obtained by Spanish radio station says 'well-placed informers' in constant contact by satellite telephone.

Giles Tremlett in Madrid
Monday 11 May 2009 12.59 BST

The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a "consultant" team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.

The document, obtained by Cadena SER radio, says the team and the pirates remain in contact by satellite telephone.

It says that pirate groups have "well-placed informers" in London who are in regular contact with control centres in Somalia where decisions on which vessels to attack are made. These London-based "consultants" help the pirates select targets, providing information on the ships' cargoes and courses.

In at least one case the pirates have remained in contact with their London informants from the hijacked ship, according to one targeted shipping company.

The pirates' information network extends to Yemen, Dubai and the Suez canal.

The intelligence report is understood to have been issued to European navies.

"The information that merchant ships sailing through the area volunteer to various international organisations is ending up in the pirates' hands," Cadena SER reported the report as saying.

This enables the more organised pirate groups to study their targets in advance, even spending several days training teams for specific hijacks. Senior pirates then join the vessel once it has been sailed close to Somalia.

Captains of attacked ships have found that pirates know everything from the layout of the vessel to its ports of call. Vessels targeted as a result of this kind of intelligence included the Greek cargo ship Titan, the Turkish merchant ship Karagol and the Spanish trawler Felipe Ruano.

In each case, says the document, the pirates had full knowledge of the cargo, nationality and course of the vessel.

The national flag of a ship is also taken into account when choosing a target, with British vessels being increasingly avoided, according to the report. It was not clear whether this was because pirates did not want to draw the attention of British police to their information sources in London.

European countries have set up Operation Atalanta to co-ordinate their military efforts in the area.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/11/piracy-somalia-london-mole


Somali pirates can locate ships without need for London mole

Subscription to Lloyd's List, a contact in Suez or snoops at refuelling depots in UAE all help pinpoint vessel's position

You would hardly need to be the most devious criminal mind to work out where a tanker laden with valuable cargo may be positioned at any given moment.

If reports from Spain are true and Somali pirates had a London shipping contact supplying them with precise information to target which tankers to hijack, they may have cultivated an insider at a London shipbrokers. That is because, every Monday, London brokers compile a list detailing the exact positions of all tankers sailing in the world. The time-consuming task involves phoning every ship owner and is carried out so that brokers can work out when ships become free.

Some, however, dispute the claim that brokers are in league with pirates. One shipping source suggested London brokers were "too busy and too well paid" to get involved with Somali pirates.

A simple subscription to Lloyd's List, the leading shipping transport newspaper and website, would supply a welter of information as to a tanker's location.

There are also easier ways to assess which ship to capture. If you wanted a valuable cargo the easiest thing to do would be to have a contact in Fujairah, one of the seven emirates in the UAE on the Persian Gulf, where oil-laden ships refuel, according to shipping contacts.

Alternatively, a mole in a Suez canal shipping office would have access to which ships pass through the canal. Ships book their passage through the canal ahead of time to ensure they are not delayed. A Suez insider would be able to gain information about where tankers are heading.

London is a world centre for shipping. Many international shipping groups have their headquarters there, including the International Maritime Organisation.

The Baltic Exchange, the established and self-regulated global marketplace for shipbrokers, provides an online exchange for ships and cargo, real-time freight derivative trading and freight market data.

The Lloyd's Marine Intelligence Unit provides instant data to the shipping market from any location in the world.

 

[40below]

So will we be seeing armed merchantmen soon?

Or something. I'm surprised ships aren't armed. When my dad worked in the Gulf in the 80s as a petrochemical engineer, the tankers would defend themselves with shotgun slugs that had a hole drilled into the top and a .45 round inserted backwards. Hardly a standard load, but apparently it was capable of leaving quite a large hole at the waterline of the pirate's boats.

 

[CougarKing]

Seems Russian merchant shipping had a brush with the pirates last week as well.

Russian tanker escapes pirate attack off Somalia
19:01 10/ 05/ 2009

MOSCOW, May 10 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian oil tanker was attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday but managed to escape with no casualties or damage, a Russian shipping company said.

The Liberia-flagged tanker, the NS Spirit, with the 22-member Russian crew, was sailing from South-East Asia to a Persian Gulf port with 36,000 tons of gasoline on its board. It was attacked at 1:00 p.m. Moscow time (9:00 GMT) on Sunday while passing through the Gulf of Aden, the Novorossiysk Shipping Company said.

The Novorossiysk Shipping Company and the tanker owner, Novoship, are integrated into Sovcomflot, Russia's largest shipping company.

"The crew timely detected a boat with armed people, which was moving towards the vessel and made two preventive salvoes with onboard fireworks. The NS Spirit crew immediately got in touch with the Admiral Panteleyev missile destroyer staying 15 nautical miles away from the tanker," the Novorossiysk Shipping Company said.

A helicopter then took off the Admiral Panteleyev destroyer to help the tanker.

"Thanks to competent and decisive actions by Novoship sailors, and also swift interaction between the tanker and the Russian Navy ship, the pirates ceased their chase. All the crew members are fine and are ready to continue their voyage," the shipping company said.

Since the start of this year, almost a hundred vessels have been attacked by Somali pirates. A number of countries, including Russia, have deployed warships to protect the Gulf of Aden.

As of May 5, Somali pirates were reported to be holding 17 ships and some 300 crew.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090510/121532652.html

 

[CougarKing]

Another update:

Iran to Send 2 Warships to Somalia Coast Waters against Pirates

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations in a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon informed him of Tehran's will to send 2 warships to Somalia's coastal waters and Gulf of Aden to confront pirates and safeguard Iranian commercial and oil cargo ships.

Mohammad Khaza'ie in the letter refers to the international efforts aimed at combating piracy in Gulf of Aden and the coastal waters of Somalia.

According to the Islamic republic news agency, Khaza'ie in his letter added that the Iranian Navy ships would take position at operation region within the next two days and remain there for a period of at least five months.

The Iranian warships would in addition to safeguarding the Iranians ships and ships that are in a way related to Iran assist any other foreign ship that would seek assistance against the pirates, and help Somalia government in its combat against piracy.

According to UN Security Council resolutions, different countries can send their warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia against the pirates and even with prior notice to Somali Government enter the territorial waters of that country in pursuit of that country's sea pirates.

So far a noticeable number of world countries have send their warships to that region to safeguard their ships and confront the pirates.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8802240337

 

[CougarKing]

Bravo Zulu to the task force for a job well done.

Task force seizes pirate ‘mother ship’

Two ships assigned to the multinational counter-piracy mission off Somalia and in the Middle East seized an alleged pirate "mother ship" on Wednesday and detained more than a dozen suspected pirates, Navy officials said Thursday.

The Republic of Korea destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great and the American guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg responded to a distress call about 3:30 p.m. local time Wednesday from the Egyptian-flagged Motor Vessel Amira. The Amira reported being attacked some 86 miles south of Al Mukalla, Yemen, said Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet.

Read full article here ...

The Stars and Stripes

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=62685
17 pirates nabbed off Somalia

By Africa correspondent Andrew Geoghegan

Posted 7 hours 10 minutes ago

Seventeen pirates have been captured in the Gulf of Aden after they tried to hijack an Egyptian ship.

With help from a South Korean destroyer, crew members from a United States Navy cruiser boarded a ship believed to have been involved in an attack on an Egyptian cargo carrier.

The Americans captured 17 suspected pirates who are being questioned on board the USS Gettysburg.

USS Gettysburg

They also found rifles and rocket-propelled grenades on the ship.

Cooperation between foreign navies to stop piracy now includes Iran.

It has sent two warships to the Gulf of Aden to protect its commercial shipping, including oil tankers.

Pirates have attacked more than 100 ships off the coast of Somalia since the beginning of the year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05...m?section=world

090513-N-0743B-057 GULF OF ADEN (May 13, 2009) Members of a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South Detachment 409 approach a suspected pirate mothership after responding to a merchant vessel distress signal while operating in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) area of responsibility as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. CTF 151 is a multinational task force established to conduct counter-piracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the CMF area of responsibility to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric L. Beauregard/Released)

090513-N-0743B-084 GULF OF ADEN (May 13, 2009) Members of a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South Detachment 409 capture suspected pirates after responding to a merchant vessel distress signal while operating in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) area of responsibility as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. CTF 151 is a multinational task force established to conduct counter-piracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the CMF area of responsibility to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric L. Beauregard/Released)

090513-N-0743B-144 GULF OF ADEN (May 13, 2009) Members of a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South Detachment 409 capture suspected pirates after responding to a merchant vessel distress signal while operating in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) area of responsibility as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. CTF 151 is a multinational task force established to conduct counter-piracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the CMF area of responsibility to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric L. Beauregard/Released)

 

[Yrys]

Somali anti-pirate coastguard bid,Monday, 18 May 2009 12:39 UK

Somalia has asked the international community to help it set up a national coastguard
to help tackle piracy.

Nur Mohamed Mohamoud, of Somalia's National Security Agency, told an anti-piracy
summit in Malaysia the government was eager to tackle pirates. He said an effective
coastguard was also needed to protect fishermen from illegal foreign fishing boats and
to prevent dumping of toxic materials.

Somalia wants equipment and training, not a foreign anti-piracy force. Somalia's interna-
tionally recognised government only controls small parts of the country, while Islamist
insurgents hold much of the south.

Meanwhile, Tanzania and Kenya have pledged to start joint navy operations off the East
African coast to tame raising cases of piracy in the area. This was agreed as Kenyan
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka met Zanzibar President Aman Abeid Karume met in
Zanzibar City on Sunday. In Holland, a court is deciding whether to proceed with the
trial of five suspected pirates caught allegedly trying to attack a Dutch-flagged freighter
in January.

One of the accused's lawyers said he was a modern-day "Robin Hood" who attacks
"ships of rich countries to give the ransom to poor families".

In Kuala Lumpur, Mr Mohamoud told the conference : "We need an effective coastguard
to protect our fishermen from illegal fishing, to prevent dumping of toxic materials in our
waters and fight shipping piracy. "We ask the international community... to supply us with
equipment and training."

Abdullahi Said Samatar, security minister in the pirate-ridden Puntland region of Somalia,
told the BBC at the Malaysian meeting his government would not let foreign forces target
land bases used by the pirates, saying that would be like "an invasion". "No, you are not
welcome to attack our area. But we will make a collaboration," he said. "We have to
develop a collaboration on the ground."

The UN has authorised foreign military to use force against land bases, but this has yet
to happen.  The Malaysia conference is also expected to discuss what to do with pirates
who are caught, as different countries have different policies.

Some alleged pirates have been put on trial in France and Kenya, while another has been
flown to the US. Some suspects have, however, been set free, with some arguing that
international law is unclear on the matter.

A number of foreign navies have been patrolling the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to deter
pirates but the number of attacks has continued to rise. As of 15 May, pirates have hijacked
29 ships and taken 472 crew hostage this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau
watchdog.

International donors at a recent UN-sponsored conference pledged more than $250m (£165m)
in military and development aid to Somalia. UN bodies will oversee funding earmarked for the
government, which wants to build a police force of 10,000 and a separate security force of 6,000.

Somalia has been without a stable government since 1991 and the chaos has allowed piracy
to flourish.

 

[CougarKing]

And the RAN gets a piece of the action as well.

Monday, May 18, 2009
Somali Pirates Meet the Aussies

What follows is not really a headline that creates the proper image, is it? "Aussie ships assist in pirate attack" - though it means the Aussies engaged some pirates off Somalia:

    Two Australian warships have rushed to the aid of a freighter under attack in the Gulf of Aden from pirates firing rocket propelled grenades and attempting to board the vessel by force.

    HMAS Sydney and HMAS Ballarat responded to a distress call from the merchant vessel, MV Dubai Princess, at about 6pm Australian time on Sunday.

HMAS Sydney

    Upon receiving the distress call, the Sydney closed in on the merchant vessel and launched a helicopter to assess the situation, while the Ballarat went to action stations.

    As the situation developed, another merchant vessel, MV MSC Stella, was also harassed by small vessels in the same area.

HMAS Ballarat

    The head of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said the measured response by the two Australian ships provided security to the merchant vessels and stabilised the situation.

    "Sydney closed in on the merchant vessel and launched her embarked Sea Hawk helicopter to gain an appraisal of the situation," Air Chief Marshal Houston said in a statement.

    "About the same time, Ballarat went to action stations and joined the response. She was instrumental in supporting MV MSC Stella."

    The pirates fled the area after the two frigates and the helicopter appeared. The action is believed to have taken place about 170km south of Yemen.

    "It appears the situation de-escalated once Sydney and Ballarat asserted their presence at the scene and from the reports we have, no injuries were suffered by merchant sailors."

Posted by Eagle1 at 5/18/2009 08:47:00 AM 

http://www.eaglespeak.us/2009/05/somali-pi...et-aussies.html

 

[CougarKing]

Typical.

Somali Pirates Wants Capture!

Somali pirates might be allowing themselves to be deliberately captured in order to take advantage of European asylum laws, Dutch legal experts have warned.

By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Last Updated: 12:11AM BST 20 May 2009

Pirates in Somalia

Peter Swift, managing director of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, said stronger naval action - including aerial and aviation support - is necessary to battle rampant piracy in the Gulf of Aden

Pirates captured after attacking a Dutch vessel have gone on trial in the liberal Netherlands and at least two of them have declared their intention to stay on as residents.

Geert-Jan Knoops, an international criminal law attorney and professor at the Royal University of Utrecht, has suggested that the Dutch trial might encourage pirates to surrender just in order to seek a better life in Western countries.

"These trials may trigger other pirates to let themselves be arrested on purpose," he told the Volkskrant newspaper.

"The Dutch Justice department must be cautious. I cannot imagine the five alleged pirates would voluntarily return to Somalia after their conviction."

The five Somali pirates were arrested off the coast of Africa in January by Danish marines after attacking the Samanyulo, a Dutch-flagged cargo ship.

But since Somalia has a record of international human rights violations it will be almost impossible to deport the men after their conviction in the Netherlands.

"Life is good here," said one of the defendants, named Sayid, about his experience in a Dutch jail.

"I appeal to the government not to send me back to Somalia. The people who live here respect human rights. I wish to settle here."

Willem-Jan Ausma, a Dutch defence attorney who is representing another pirate, described his client's relief to be in a Western prison.

"My client feels safe here. His own village is dominated by poverty and sharia [Islamic law] but here he has good food and can play football and watch television. He thinks the lavatory in his cell is fantastic," he said.

Mr Ausma has told the Somali that he will be considered for a residence permit after serving his sentence, expected to be a maximum of four years in prison.

"He intends to send for his wife and children as soon as he is released from prison. He knows he cannot easily be sent back to Somalia. He loves it here in the Netherlands," Mr Ausma told the NRC Handelsblad newspaper.

Mr Ausma has also warned that ongoing piracy trials in the Netherlands, France and the United States will encourage pirates to commit crimes, for the purpose of being captured, rather than deterring attacks on Western flagged vessels.

"Anything is better than Somalia," he said.

Prof Knoops has called for an international tribunal to deal with Somali pirates. "This would immediately solve a large number of problems, because there are good reasons why many countries do not wish to burn their fingers on the pirates," he said.

http://www.talkdelaware.com/f55/somali-pir...rope-10982.html

 

[GAP]

Canada looking to change policy on pirate prosecution: MacKay
Last Updated: Thursday, May 21, 2009 | 8:30 AM ET CBC News
Article Link

Canada, looking to make a shift from current policy, is in negotiations to have Kenyan authorities prosecute pirates apprehended by the Canadian navy, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday.

The Canadian government has maintained it cannot prosecute pirates captured by Canadian forces, as it lacks jurisdiction under international law.

Pirates intercepted by Canadian forces off the coast of Somalia until now have been disarmed and then released, a policy that has sparked criticism from legal experts.

But MacKay, speaking aboard the HMCS Winnipeg off the coast of Oman, stressed the importance of countering piracy.

"Let's be clear — this is financial terrorism," MacKay told CBC News on Thursday.

"This is not unlike acts of terrorism that we see in other parts of the world, whether it be kidnappings, whether it be issues related to fanaticism and extremism in places like Afghanistan," he said after presenting medals to navy personnel.

Diplomats are now working with the Kenyan government in Nairobi to have the new agreement put into action quickly, said the CBC's David Common, reporting from the warship.

Kenya has similar agreements with other countries.

The HMCS Winnipeg, on two separate occasions this month, has apprehended pirates, but released them on both occasions.
More on link

 

[Yrys]

Somali 'pirate' pleads not guilty, Thursday, 21 May 2009 23:53 UK

Abde Wale Abdul Kahhir Muse
appeared briefly in court

A Somali man arrested after a US captain was kidnapped has pleaded not guilty
to 10 charges in a New York court, including piracy.

Abde Wale Abdul Kadhir Muse was also charged with holding a hostage for ransom
and armed hijacking. He spoke through a translator during the brief appearance.
His next hearing was set for 17 September.

His lawyers said they had difficulty communicating with him, and that he was
"confused" about the situation. Defence lawyer Phil Weinstein also said "they are
giving him medications that he doesn't understand", AFP news agency reported.
It was unclear what the medication was for.

'Pirate ringleader'

Mr Muse's mother has said he is only 16 years old but prosecutors argue he is
over 18 and a judge last month ruled he should be tried as an adult. He is
believed to be the first person to face piracy charges in the US in over a
century. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors have accused Mr Muse of being the ringleader of a pirate gang
which boarded a container ship, the Maersk Alabama, on 8 April and took
Capt Richard Phillips hostage in a lifeboat. After a five-day stand-off, US
Navy marksmen killed three of the pirates and captured Mr Muse, who had
gone aboard a US warship, allegedly to demand a ransom.

Mr Muse's mother has previously told the BBC's Somali service her son is c
ompletely innocent.

Heavily-armed pirates operating off the coast of Somalia carry out regular
attacks on shipping in recent weeks in one of the world's busiest sea lanes,
despite patrols by the US and other navies. Shipping companies last year
handed over about $80m (£54m) in ransom payments to the gangs.