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Africa Horn
Somali pirate pursuit hots up
2008-09-28
Unidentified helicopters have been tracking the Faina, a Ukrainian military supply vessel hijacked by Somali pirates on Thursday.

In an exclusive telephone conversation with Press TV's Somalia correspondent, a member of the pirate group responsible for the capture of the Faina said that choppers were hovering over the ship which was in waters off the northern Harardheere coastline 400 kilometers north of Mogadishu in the Gulf of Aden.

The representative, identified only as "Garaard" added that the pirates in command of the vessel would not hesitate to set fire to it and kill the crew if military forces pursue them.

Faina and her crew were commandeered on Thursday whilst transporting military equipment, including 33 T-72 tanks, munitions, grenade launchers and other armaments to Kenya.

US and Russian naval vessels are also in pursuit of the ship which has been offered for a ransom of 35 million dollars.
Posted by:Fred

#12   I am looking forward to a glut of cheap T-72s on eBay.
Planning to copy James Bond?
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-09-28 23:56  

#11  Horsefeathers, when these pirates commandeer an Iranian boat loaded with toxins or a Russian weapons shipment they do a service for mankind. If the CIA isn't giving them pointers, at least the seals should teach them how to shoot straight.

Can you recall a US flagged ship being affected by these "pirates"?
Posted by: rammer   2008-09-28 23:40  

#10  The pirates have a safe haven. A little surveillance work will determine where that is. Take out the safe haven. Just like Wazoo.
Posted by: Alaska Paul    2008-09-28 17:34  

#9  You are assuming the pirates give a rat's ass about the town, AP.

The port and the fancy houses with the big gardens, then. Will that do, SteveS?
Posted by: trailing wife    2008-09-28 17:25  

#8  Fox has reported the captain has died of hypertension--high blood pressure--after calling and reporting he could see several ships from his location, including one with a US flag.
Posted by: Danielle   2008-09-28 16:26  

#7  You are assuming the pirates give a rat's ass about the town, AP.
Posted by: SteveS   2008-09-28 14:32  

#6  Pirates commit illegal acts with impunity on the high seas, and we sit around trying to figure out a so-called legal way to deal with them. The ultimate in non-survival behavior on our part.

They have a base, a port. Take it out if you do not want to level the town. The pirates evacuate the ship and release the prisoners on 1 hour, or the town is leveled, burned, and salted. ONE operation like that and your problems are probably solved. Lather, rinse, and repeat until they get the message.
Posted by: Alaska Paul    2008-09-28 14:20  

#5  #3 Jack wins the 'Understated Snark of the Day' award! Posted by Steve White

too early!!1! I have a big bag of unfunny understated snark to unload....but if the day's award is already given out....well.....damn
Posted by: Frank G   2008-09-28 11:45  

#4  I am looking forward to a glut of cheap T-72s on eBay.
Posted by: SteveS   2008-09-28 11:20  

#3  Jack wins the 'Understated Snark of the Day' award!
Posted by: Steve White   2008-09-28 10:46  

#2  I hear that the $35 million is in the Paulson package.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2008-09-28 05:34  

#1  "Faina and her crew were commandeered on Thursday"

I do not think that word means what you think it means....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2008-09-28 00:17  

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