A rising surge in pirate attacks along Somalia's east African coast is primarily rooted in the policies of the United Nations and Western countries, an Islamist spokesman said Friday. Mohamud Sheikh Ibrahim Suley, spokesman for the Islamic Courts, told Mogadishu media via a teleconference that a recent UN resolution targeting Somali pirates had "taken the wrong route.""This decision is backed by Western nations whose agenda is to steal Somalia's land and sea resources," Suley said, while referring to UN Security Council Resolution 1816 that effectively authorized foreign countries to use "all necessary means" to combat piracy along the Somali coast. The Islamists' spokesman blamed the UN and unnamed countries in the West for allegedly "strengthening piracy," saying: "As the Islamic Courts fought against piracy, the UN allowed an [Ethiopian] attack against the Courts' administration, which was known for restoring peace in Somalia."
During the Islamic Courts reign in south-central Somalia, between June and December 2006, piracy hit an all-time low along the Horn of Africa country's coastline. Currently, two foreign-owned vessels are being held hostage by Somali pirates, who have demanded million-dollar ransom payments. An international force led by the United States Navy has been patrolling Somalia's coast for months, although critics quickly point out that the presence of naval warships and supporting aircraft has yet to deter pirate attacks.