Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Times
October 20, 2008
Pg. 19
MOGADISHU -- It's been a busy, profitable week for Somali pirates: They hijacked one South Korean bulk carrier Wednesday, released another South Korean cargo ship Thursday and let a hijacked Thai ship go Saturday after getting a ransom.
Somali official Ali Abdi Aware reported the release of the Thai ship, but said Sunday it was not clear exactly how much money was paid.
Mr. Aware, the minister for foreign affairs for the semiautonomous northern Somali region of Puntland, said Puntland forces will be hunting for the pirates. Earlier this week, Puntland forces freed a Panama-flagged cargo ship from pirates in a gunbattle that killed one soldier.
Nearly a dozen ships and more than 200 crew members remain in the hands of pirates, including the hijacked Ukrainian arms ship MV Faina, for which pirates have demanded an $8 million ransom.
U.S. warships still surround the Faina to keep the pirates from unloading its cargo of battle tanks and heavy weapons.
October 20, 2008
Pg. 19
MOGADISHU -- It's been a busy, profitable week for Somali pirates: They hijacked one South Korean bulk carrier Wednesday, released another South Korean cargo ship Thursday and let a hijacked Thai ship go Saturday after getting a ransom.
Somali official Ali Abdi Aware reported the release of the Thai ship, but said Sunday it was not clear exactly how much money was paid.
Mr. Aware, the minister for foreign affairs for the semiautonomous northern Somali region of Puntland, said Puntland forces will be hunting for the pirates. Earlier this week, Puntland forces freed a Panama-flagged cargo ship from pirates in a gunbattle that killed one soldier.
Nearly a dozen ships and more than 200 crew members remain in the hands of pirates, including the hijacked Ukrainian arms ship MV Faina, for which pirates have demanded an $8 million ransom.
U.S. warships still surround the Faina to keep the pirates from unloading its cargo of battle tanks and heavy weapons.