Somali pirates hijack the New Year…

..Sort of!  Pirates around the Gulf of Aden rang in the New Year by hijacking a total of four ships this week, according to CNN.

Pirates off Somalia have hijacked two more vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the European Union naval force said Saturday — the third and fourth vessels they have captured this week.The British-flagged Asian Glory was seized off Somalia late Friday, the naval force said. The nationality of the pirates was unclear, because the hijacking happened outside of the force’s operations area, it said.

Fighting back against pirates

Military.com: posted CNN video of security companies and new defense mechanisms set to aggressively combat pirates.

3.5 million paid to Somali hijackers of Spanish ship

Al Jazeera reports that pirates have freed a Spanish ship hijacked six weeks ago in the Indian ocean, allegedly in exchange for 3.5 million dollars.

On a related note: the Nigerian News Service on why nations should not negotiate with hijackers and kidnappers.

Somali Islamists a threat to westerners in Kenya

Earlier this year I did some pieces on the Somali pirates who hijacked the Saudi-owned Sirius Star and the Shabab Islamists who pursued them, ostensibly to punish them for attacking a Muslim company, in reality to demand a share of the loot.

Now it seems that the Shabab have migrated to Kenya and are posing a threat to westerners there. Click here for story.

Midwestern “Lost Boys” refugees answer “the call to jihad”?

Well, this is jacked. Anyone remember the stories of the refugee boys from the Sudan and Somalia who were resettled in random, totally alien places like Minneapolis and subsequently pursued success and college educations?

Now the NYT reports that some of them are becoming radicalized within their adoptive cities and are returning to the countries of their birth to join al-Qaeda affiliate groups like Shabaab, whose mission is to overthrow the Somali government.

The (individuals mentioned) are among more than 20 young Americans who are the focus of what may be the most significant domestic terrorism investigation since Sept. 11.

Somali pirates and Islam: natural allies?

Last year, we saw one major wave of Somali pirate attacks on tankers and other ships traversing the region.  In December, analysts were warning that, in its weakened state, Somalia may become a new safe haven for militant jihadis as well as pirates and other international criminals.

Around that same time, in a particularly ironic move the Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab  “vowed” to hunt down and attack the pirates who hijacked a Muslim-owned Saudi oil tanker.

However, analysts have posited the idea that in fact the al-Shabaab extremists are in collusion with the pirates and have sought to take a share of any ransom gained. 

Now, UPI writer Claude Salhani suggests that Somali pirates are natural allies of radical Islam:

U.S. Navy warships supported by helicopter gunships tracked four Somali pirates and their American captive in the Horn of Africa throughout the weekend as American negotiators tried to obtain the release of the hostage.

Local militias, many of them adherents of strict Islamist theology, offer a fertile breeding ground to al-Qaida and its affiliates. If and when the day Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida begin to feel the pressure in their current safe haven, the region around the Horn of Africa will look very enticing.

China to send warships after pirates….

Via CNN.com, here:

Two Chinese destroyers and a supply ship will set sail for the Gulf of Aden on Friday to protect Chinese merchant ships from an increasing number of pirate attacks in the waters off the coast of Somalia, navy officials said Tuesday.

Two helicopters and special operations forces will also head to the region, the Chinese officials said.

Chinese media reported the plans last week. It will mark the first time that the country’s naval vessels have left Chinese waters in centuries.

I expect a take-no-prisoners attitude towards the pirates from the PRC.  During y2K, recall how as a matter of national pride,  the Chinese government allegedly mandated that their high level airline execs be on board one of China’s commercial airliners and midflight at the stroke of midnight, Jan. 1, 2000. Brutal.

Somali pirates vs. Chinese crew, armed with homemade weapons…

PRI’s The World featured a “Pirates Update,” where anchor Marco Werman “tells of a battle at sea between the crew of a Chinese ship and Somali pirates. The Chinese crew defended itself using homemade weapons.”

Click here to access the online radio broadcast.

Is Somalia a new haven for al Qaeda as well as pirates?

Intelligence analysts warn that, in its weakened state, this lawless, impoverished nation may become a new safe haven for militant jihadists as well as pirates and other international criminals.

ABC News reports that

A group of Islamic militants called al-Shabaab now controls much of southern and central Somalia, and U.S. officials fear that the group, which swears allegiance to Osama bin Laden, is now strong enough to take over the country’s capital, Mogadishu, and defeat the weak, American-backed government there.

It is useful to note that al-Shabaab was the same militant group whose members vowed to hunt and attack the band of pirates who hijacked the Muslim-owned Saudi oil tanker. Analysts have posited the idea that the al-Shabaab extremists had the ulterior motive of forcibly claiming some of whatever ransom the pirates were able to extract from the Saudi owners.

For more information, view my previous posts here.

Track live pirate activity, worldwide…

..with the International Chamber of Commerce’s Commercial Crime Services Live Piracy Map, posted at the rhetorican.com website, here.

Pirates negotiate deal over hijacked arms ship

Pirates have negotiated to release the MV Faina, a Ukranian transport ship laden with tanks, tank artillery shells, small arms, and grenade launchers, originally bound for Kenya. The report is unclear whether the pirates are Somali.

The transport ship was hijacked over two months ago off the eastern coast of Africa, presumably around the Gulf of Aden; because of the cargo, U.S. Naval ships have been monitoring the MV Faina to ensure it does not fall into the hands of terrorists.

The pirates have reached a deal with the Ukranian owners of the ship and talks are ongoing as to how to deliver the ransom money.

View story here.

Dial “P” for Pirates: calling the Somali swashbucklers aboard the Sirius Star

Apparently, it works best if you’re a twelve-year old girl and their number is already programmed into your mom’s speed-dial.

Click here for BBC News report.

Somali Islamists hunt the pirate hijackers of Saudi tanker

While the U.N. has been busy imposing sanctions against piracy, Somali Islamist fighters have taken irony to a whole new level and started what could be called a “grassroots” movement of their own to combat the problem…at least in this instance.

Al Jazeera reports here that Somali Islamists have entered the port town of Haradheere to search for and punish the pirates who hijacked the Muslim-owned Saudi oil tanker. These are the same pirates whom the Saudis have labeled as terrorists (which they aren’t, but nice try).

Analysts have commented that these fighters are part of the al Shabab radical Islamist movement and are reportedly opposed to the Somali interim government. Generally, these opposition fighters have benefited from the arms shipments and the violent chaos disrupting the country.

If so, then either these are pirates who aren’t affiliated with (but may ordinarily be tolerated by) the Islamist opposition fighters or the pirates are part of the Muslim opposition movement but have -knowingly or otherwise- attacked one of their fellow Muslims and, in doing so, broken some cardinal rule about doing so. What is certain is the high degree of hilarity resulting from this story.

CNN.com has reported here that over 150 million dollars has been paid in ransoms to pirates around the Horn of Africa over the past 12 months.

Update: U.S. authorities have expressed concern that the al Shabab Somali Islamists are in collusion with the pirates and are seeking to take part of any ransom gained.

U.N. issues sanctions, in an attempt to further crack down on piracy

The IHT reports here that the U.N. has taken new action and voted unanimously to impose further sanctions to curb the lawlessness and the flow of arms into Somalia. The plan is to freeze assets of individuals and organizations contributing to the violence and lawlessness. However, some argue that the targets are outside any organized financial systems that are subject to such sanctions.

Back in June of this year, the U.N. Security Council had authorized any foreign ships to enter Somali waters and use force to combat this piracy and violence (click here for story). While a more direct, forceful response would be effective, other countries such as the U.S. have stated that military action may not be a part of the solution and that the shipping companies must take more responsibility to protect their fleet.

Even if the U.N.’s sanction plan did work, these measures may be “too little, too late” for the shipping industry, as A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, issued a statement that it would no longer be sending part of its fleet through the Suez Canal because of the rampant piracy off the Somali coast.

And, at ground level, Somali Islamist fighters have started what could be called a “grassroots” movement of their own to combat the problem…at least in this instance. See my more recent post here.

Reportedly, over 150 million dollars has been paid out in ransoms to pirates operating around the Horn of Africa in the last 12 months. To read more, click here for the Heritage Foundation’s National Security blog entry, “No Shortage of Booty for Pirates in Somalia.”

H/T: economatters.wordpress.com for news of the U.N. Security Council authorization in June ’08.

International crime comes back to roost: Saudis negotiate with pirates, call them “terrorists.”

Bloomberg.com reports that the Saudi owners of the oil tanker hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia are negotiating with the pirates over a ransom. View story here.

The irony is overwhelming, particularly as the Saudis are conveniently trying to label this as an act of terrorism. Probably they hope to nab the pirates via universal jurisdiction and hammer them under extant anti-terror legislation.

International Law 101: “Pure” piracy is not terrorism. While there is no generally agreed upon definition of terrorism, it IS agreed that piracy is considered to be a separate crime from terrorism as it committed for the purpose of achieving “private” ends (what constitutes “private ends” has been a matter of much debate) . Terrorism, on the other hand, seeks to inspire feelings of terror, insecurity, and unrest for the purpose of achieving political, ideological, religious, or similar ends.

Edit: it is worth noting that there has been a nexus of late between piracy and terrorism, as terrorists in recent times have sought to hijack vessels at sea as a means to achieve their ultimate aims.

H/T and visit Rhetorican.com for further commentary…