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2005-11-28 Africa Horn
Mercenaries to Police Somali Coast
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Posted by Steve 2005-11-28 09:48|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Somali pirates have freed a ship and its crew after holding them hostage off the Somali coast for more than a month, a maritime official said Monday. "Somali gunmen have released the Ukrainian ship MV Pagania, and she is now under way to Eastern Europe," Andrew Mwangura, program coordinator of Mombasa-based Kenya Seafarers Association, said in a statement. Mwangura said pirates are still holding eight other vessels.

On Friday, the Somali government announced a two-year, $50 million contract with New York-based Topcat Marine Security Inc. in a bid to fight piracy off the lawless Horn of Africa country of about 10 million. But it was not immediately clear where the money to pay the contract would come from, given that the fledgling government is reliant on donors for funding.

Pirates in speedboats fired on the Panagia before storming it and sailing it to the town of Ely, about 310 miles (500 kilometers) northeast of the coastal capital of Mogadishu, Mwangura said. The gunmen had demanded a ransom of $700,000. "It is not yet clear if any ransom money has been paid by the ship owners," Mwangura said. The Liberian-flagged vessel is owned by Regal Navigation of Odessa, Ukraine
Posted by Steve">Steve  2005-11-28 10:26||   2005-11-28 10:26|| Front Page Top

#2 PRESS RELEASE- For Immediate Release
Contact: Maryann Johnson 545 8TH AVE. Suite 401 New York, NY 10018
Tel. NY Office: 212.714.6056 SC Office: 843.567.2551 Fax: 212.665-6494


Senator Lindsey Graham gives “Thumbs Up” to Top Cat Marine
Security for Homeland Defense


On April 3rd 2004, during high-speed demonstrations at the Tail Race Canal in Moncks Corner South Carolina, Top Cat Marine Security’s (TCMS) exclusive line of 31’ Cobra Predators passed the ultimate test. With high ranking dignitaries including Senators Lindsey Graham and Larry Groomsand Army & Navy Special Forces personnel in attendance, TCMS’s 31’Patrol Predator performed a spectacular series of high-speed exercises.With the two Senators and a crew of 4 or more on board the Predator maneuvered through a course of both gradual and extremely tight turns,highlighting the boat’s precision turning radius and unsurpassedcapabilities in rough and shallow waters. “This war is about speed, mobility, strength and character and Top Cat has all of that,” said Senator Lindsey Graham. “The boat was smooth, its like going from a raggedy old Chevy to a high speed Cadillac with a N o rthstar Engine, only better”. “This is a fine watercraft and we are proud Top Cat will produce them in the low country” added Senator Grooms. Peter Casini, designer and captain of the 3100 Cobra, called the demonstrations “extremely exciting”. The consensus was the Cobra would revolutionize "Go Fasts” and raise the industry bar to a new level.
TCMS is proud to announce the relocation of their manufacturing facility to St. Stephens, South Carolina. TCMS’s Cobra boats are a state of the art solution to this country’s urgent need for port/homeland security. TCMS will make a major capital investment in the area with the new facility, which plans to employ up to 75 people in its first year. The 2100 Sidewinder and 31’ Predator are capable of providing a new level of security and protection for our country and our national efforts against terrorism. The Predator and Sidewinder are the fastest in their categories, surpassing all other fast patrol boats in production, with an 85 MPH cruising speed and Kevlar® catamaran hull that delivers maneuverability, durability, stability, and stealth. The innovative hull design allows these crafts to turn on a dime at speeds well over 60 MPH while remaining stable enough for a security officer to take aim and return fire in the event of an enemy attack. Top Cat Marine Security (TCMS) has also developed the first a state-ofthe-art training facility offering opportunity and access of highly skilled trainers to all first responders. TCMS instructors all of who are former Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces developed the specialized curriculum taking into account the specific needs and requirements of US Customs, Coast Guard, DEA and Border Patrol. Our TCMS courses also cover testing and evaluation, engineering, maintenance, operations and repair for our high-speed marine fighter suite of hardware and software. All training will be conducted on TCMS's line of Cobra state of the art high performance vessels. Please contact us for a copy of the Senators demo and a copy of TCMS’s DVD containing all previous demonstrations in New York and Washington DC. Since then, Casini has added three more boats to his Top Cat inventory-the 3100 Predator the 2100 Cobra Sidewinder and the 3700 Terminator-and introduced a total of thirteen new commercial and security design patents, including the dive hatch, the specialized enclosed capsule, the 37 foot Terminator, and the 48 foot Rapid Response Coastal Cruiser. Everyone knows how much the world has changed since September 11, and while our victory in the war against Iraq hopefully signals better times ahead, the threat of terrorism persists and our country's future remains uncertain. In the next five years, an estimated $550 million will likely go towards small defense boats to safeguard our ports, harbors and water supplies. At Top Cat Marine Security our goal is-and will continue to be-to bring the highest quality of knowledge, skill, operational expertise and design possible to that essential effort. Capable of reaching speeds over 100mph in as little as 15-20 inches of water, Top Cat's unique, patented Kevlar Hulls are virtually bulletproof and unsinkable, while their dock-like stability makes for an excellent working, diving or intercept & defense platform.
In an ongoing effort to service a wide range of state, federal and international security agencies-including the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs, Local Law Enforcement, Port Authorities and Border Patrol-Top Cat Marine Security has created a fleet of the ultimate "go fast" boats specially designed to meet the needs of law enforcement, military and commercial security organizations. Top among our marine security designs are the; 21 foot Sidewinder; 31 foot Predator and the 37 foot Terminator, 3700 DB3 Enclosed Capsule and soon to be released 48'foot Rapid Response Coastal Cruiser (RRCC).
Top Cat Marine Security's boats are also hand-built to meet customers' specifications. Top Cat specializes in systems integration, customized components and equipment such as: enclosed bulletproof cockpits; diver/dive hatch modifications; weapon mounts; specialized electronics; choice of motors and drives; and more. Top Cat also offers essential turnkey services, including operational training, inspection, and mechanical and maintenance service. Backed by a core of highly skilled special operations personnel with first hand experience in law enforcement, military and security experience, Top Cat brings a level of expertise and training to its production and development that is unsurpassed by any of its competitors.


Posted by Besoeker 2005-11-28 10:40||   2005-11-28 10:40|| Front Page Top

#3 If I lived anywhere near big water, I'd want one, B, lol! 85MPH cruising speed. Turns on a dime. Gunmounts. Just needs a large cooler and, well, Spring Break's not that far away. Heh.
Posted by .com 2005-11-28 11:10||   2005-11-28 11:10|| Front Page Top

#4 Seriously cool! Thanks for the press release, Besoeker. :-D

And pity our poor .com: such a sacrifice he makes, playing the accomodating gentleman to all those eager coeds! ;-)
Posted by trailing wife 2005-11-28 11:34||   2005-11-28 11:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Sadly, I don't think Lake Mead's big enough for one of those Predators, tw. About the time you got it wound up you'd have to hit the binders for a speed or wake zone, lol. The eds & coeds do seem to enjoy their parties there (1* 2* 3*), however, lol. I think that venue calls less for speed than specialized gear*. Perhaps I should make observations of their rituals and report back to the 'burg... I think a catch & release & stuff program might be worthy. I am something of a, uh, um, er, an amateur anthropologist (yeah that's the ticket) you see. ;-)

* NSFW
Posted by .com 2005-11-28 12:20||   2005-11-28 12:20|| Front Page Top

#6 He why not issue letters of marques to both land and sea forces. Talk about playing rough! This is not a foreign endeavor for the U.S. and it is only logical that it should extend this to the WOT. During WWII we (not anyone else) underwrote the French Army/Navy/Air Force and basically hired them to fight the Germans after their government surrendered. During Korea we paid for most of the UN forces that deployed to Korea. In Vietnam we paid for a LARGE number of Thai mercenaries to fight in Cambodia and Laos and basically became the armed forces of those countries. In Angola we (and the South Afrikaners) underwrote the Army that was fighting the communists in that country. In South America we employ many “security” firms that are engaged in the stemming the drug traffic. Yes there have been successes and failures but by in large it is cheaper and less messy (legally) to use mercenary forces in some cases.
Posted by Cyber Sarge">Cyber Sarge  2005-11-28 12:37||   2005-11-28 12:37|| Front Page Top

#7 Yes, .com, I've always thought of you as having a scientific turn of mind. Carry on your researches, silly, but I think it best if you only report back to the generality of Rantburg should you make a breakthrough discovery in this much-plowed field of knowledge, else there are those who might think of it as boasting, yes?

Cyber Sarge, mercenary is used by many as an ugly word, but in this case surely contractor is a better fit anyway? ;-)
Posted by trailing wife 2005-11-28 13:47||   2005-11-28 13:47|| Front Page Top

#8 And, in the spirit of privateers of past years, I present Rantburgers with this Stan Rogers classic:

Barrett's Privateers

Oh the year was seventeen seventy eight
I wish I were in Sherbrooke now!
A letter of marque came from the King
To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen
God Damn them all! I was told
We'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

Oh Elcid Barrett cried the town,
I wish I were in Sherbrooke now!
For twenty brave men, all fishermen, who
Would make for him the Antelope's crew,
[chorus]
God Damn them all! I was told
We'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight.
She'd a list to port and her sails in rags,
And a cook in the scuppers with staggers and jags.

On the King's birthday we put to sea.
We were ninety-one days to Montego bay,
Pumping like madmen all the way.

On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again.
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight

The Yankee lay low down with gold.
She was broad and fat and loose in stays,
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

Then at length we stood two cables away.
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din,
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in.

The Antelope shook and pitched on her side.
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs,
And the maintruck carried off both me legs.

So here I lay in my twenty-third year.
It's been six years since we sailed away,
And I just made Halifax yesterday.

God Damn them all! I was told
We'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.
Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul  2005-11-28 16:01||   2005-11-28 16:01|| Front Page Top

#9 There were two lofty ships from Old England came,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
One was the Prince of Luther and the other Prince of Wales
Sailing down the coast of High Barbaree....

There's nought upon the stern, there's nought upon the lee,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
But a lofty ship to windward, and she's sailing fast and free,
Sailing down the coast of High Barbaree/

"Oh Hail her, Oh Hail her," our gallant captain cried...
"Are you a man-o-war or a privateer" said he,
"Cruising down the coast of High Barbaree?"

"I'm not a man-o-war nore a privateer," said he...
"But I'm a salt sea pirate and I'm looking fo my fee,
Cruising down the coast of High Barbaree."

'Twas broadside and broadside, a long time we lay...
Until the Prince of Luther shot the pirate mast away...

"O quarter, o quarter," the wretched pirate cried,
BLow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
But the quarter that we gave them was to sink them in the tide,
Sink them off the coast of High Barbaree.
Posted by mom">mom  2005-11-28 17:18|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]  2005-11-28 17:18|| Front Page Top

#10 Wow! Lotsa poetry. I was just figuring a couple of ex-Ashevilles.
Posted by Shipman 2005-11-28 18:49||   2005-11-28 18:49|| Front Page Top

#11 Never mind, now I get it. Ex-Thomas Wolfe variant.

O! Lost where's my boat!
Fetch my tomatoes and
an older wrench.
9/16s only.
Posted by Shipman 2005-11-28 18:53||   2005-11-28 18:53|| Front Page Top

#12 There was an old sleezy pirate from the Somali coast who got his boat in the sights of a Predator ghost.

The hellfire missile scored a direct hit and now his wienie is toast…

Aye, by jingo, take that you jackanapes cutthroats. That’al learn ya ta joust with the devil. If this ain’t enough, I’ll unleash a barrage of doggerel across yer bow.
Posted by John Q. Citizen 2005-11-28 19:09||   2005-11-28 19:09|| Front Page Top

23:56 Aris Katsaris
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22:03 JosephMendiola
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21:12 Red Dog









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