Pirates 'want $35m for tank ship'

BBC ^ | 9/27/08

[LibWhacker]

Pirates who seized a Ukrainian ship off the coast of Somalia have reportedly demanded a ransom of $35m (£19m) to release the vessel and its crew.

The pirates earlier warned against any attempt to rescue the crew or cargo of the MV Faina, which is carrying 33 battle tanks destined for Kenya.

Pirates have seized dozens of ships near Somalia's coast in recent months.

A Russian Navy vessel is heading to the region and the US says it is monitoring developments in the area.

A spokesman for the pirates, who gave his name as Jalal Jama Ali, told a Somali website that the group were prepared to negotiate with the Kenyan government, but would not release the vessel unless the ransom was paid.

[aclusux.com]

These are some dumb pirates.

[Tarpon]

al Qaeda pirates want how much money, for what exactly?

UN food account must be overdrawn.

[PurpleMan]

Calling US Special Forces!! Calling US Special Forces!!!

[johnny7]

How about a 35m cruise missile?

[jsh3180]

Has the article been posted on here about the OTHER Somali piracy story from a few days ago? The one where they pirated an Iranian ship and 30 of the pirates have died from radiation poisoning?

If not, I’ve got to see if I can find it. I had forgotten about it until you posted this.

[Jeff Head]

These same type of pirates tried to approach a US Navy cargo ship last week and were repelled by good ole ma duece.

Russians should have armed their vessel.

[VanDeKoik]

What, no demands for Spanish doubloons and a barrel of rum?

[valkyry1]

These idiots are dead men walking.

[Buffalowolf]

Now is the time for the Russkies to what they do best, slaughter the pirats and burn their villages

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The Rooskies are good at that.

[piytar]

Nope. Russia has been supporting Islamists in Somalia for years to “stick it to” the US. They’ve made this bed, let them sleep in it.

That, and Russian SF forces don’t exactly care about the Geneva Convention. They will do things to these scum that our troops wouldn’t be allowed to or even dream of doing.

Now, after the fact, we need to let some USN destroyers go into the area and clean it out. Can you say “target practice”? Maybe unmothball a battleship or two and level a few ports with big gun fire. For starters.

[Nailbiter]

These are some dumb pirates.

And possibly soon to be dead pirates

[ASA Vet]

A Russian Navy vessel is heading to the region

How about if we wait for the Russians to handle it.
They'll be kind and sweet with the pirates.

[wideawake]

They may be dumb pirates.

Or the Russians may have taken exception to the Ukraine's sale of armor to Kenya and used these pirates as a proxy to interrupt Ukrainian trade.

How did Russian naval assets get to the Horn of Africa in such a timely way?

Russian navy ships need to sail from Kaliningrad or Vladivostok or Sevastopol. These vessels are at least 8,000 nautical miles from home base - and they just happened to be on the scene?

Sounds about as coincidental as Russia just happening to have substantial armored and infantry assets massed on the Georgian border just as the South Ossetians attacked Georgian police.

[The Great RJ]

If the pirates ticked off the Russians they may be in for some ass whoopin'. The Russians won't be sending in diplomats to beg for the ship and its crew nor will they be too concerned about collateral damage to any civilians in the area. I would suspect they will come in with guns blazing and take no prisoners.

The persistence of piracy in this area and southeast Asia is another example of the ineffectiveness of the UN and diplomacy. Clearly these pirates pose a threat to every country's shipping, yet the UN as usual does nothing. The pirates like terrorists cannot be dissuaded by diplomatic niceties or appeasement. Perhaps the Russians might solve this problem in the right way.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

“A Russian Navy essel is headin to the region”. I wonder if the Russians will read these Pirates their rights?

[jsh3180]

OK, here it is, the story of the mystery Iranian ship, pirated by Somalis and now pirates dropping dead all over the place.

http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/2008/09/observing-story-of-mv-iran-deyanat.html

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

This is my favorite Somali pirate picture. Die, pirates, die:

060318-N-8623S-003 Indian Ocean (March 18, 2006) - A suspected pirate vessel ignites in flames before burning to the waterline. USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71) were conducting maritime security operations in international waters off the coast of Somalia and attempted to perform a routine boarding of the suspicious vessel towing two skiffs. The suspected pirates opened fire on the U.S. Navy ships and the ships’ crew members returned fire. One suspect was killed and 12 were taken into custody. Coalition forces conduct maritime security operations to ensure security and safety in international waters so legitimate mariners can operate freely while transiting the region. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Journalist Daniel Sanford (RELEASED)

[PurpleMan]

Disagree. We shouldn’t cede the defending of the sea lanes to the neo-KGBers in Russia.

[Joe Boucher]

It’s one thing to steel from the U.S.A., cause we won’t go out and kill them with prejudice. Now Russia on the other hand is still the not too much fun bunch and will go in and clean out this den of thieves with prejudice.
Hey puttie, go get em boy sick em.

[Larry Lucido]

Okay, there are 33 tanks aboard, and no one thought to bring a gun?

[Niuhuru]

I wonder how the Chinese would handle this.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

A Russian gunship/destroyer is on the way to “negotiate”.

ROFLMAO!

[beebuster2000]

can you hide a ship with 35 tanks inside a cave? i think not. better to blow up the whole thing than submit to this escalating pirate BS.

arghhhh

[Skooz]

The suspected pirates opened fire on the U.S. Navy ships ...

Bad, bad, bad idea.

Now THOSE are (were) some stupid pirates.

[Polybius]

A Russian Navy vessel is heading to the region and the US says it is monitoring developments in the area.

The Russians are sending the ASW frigate Neustrashimy to the region.

A U.S. Navy response would include a CVN to darken the skies with air power and an LHA to provide amphibious and air assault capabilities by a 1,900 strong Marine Detachment.

It will be interesting to see how the Russians plan to wage an assault to rescue a ship in a heavily defended harbor with an ASW frigate unless the plan is to call 911-US-NAVY.

[101voodoo]

If the Russians are on the way my guess is the Pirates are dead. The Russians care little about human life and do not play well with those who try to take their things.

There will be no negotiations. The Russians will ask the Pirates to surrender the ship or have it and them destroyed. If the Pirates refuse the Russians will do exactly what they promised. The ship goes down with all aboard.

Scratch 1 band of Pirates.

[BuffaloJack]

It would be a bad idea to allow 33 Russian made battle tanks to get into the hands of a bunch of mussie pirates.
I hope the Russians blow this thing to smithereens.

[Cicero]

I would imagine that Russian tanks headed for Kenya were probably in support of the Muslims there.

There’s certainly no reason on earth why the U.S. should help the Russians do their dirty work.

In fact, if this freighter were lost, with all the pirates and tanks on board, that would really be tough.

[bert]

In so doing, the Russians become pirates. The ship is Ukrainian, not Russian.

[uncle fenders]

It would be wild if the whole thing was faked, and the PIRATES are just delivering the tanks for the Russians..Maybe Russia wasn’t so choosy about who they sold them too?

[VRWC For Truth]

Just sink the ship with a couple of bombs. Problem solved.

[dirtman821]

There are fixing to be a bunch of dead pirates. Unlike us, the Russians don’t usually let some third world thugs embarrass them.

[Popman]

Russia announced on Friday it would start carrying out regular anti-piracy patrols in the waters off Somalia to protect Russian citizens and ships. A warship had been sent to the area earlier this week, it said.

Them Ruskies are so prescient, it's amazing !!!

The Russian vessel was probably trailing the Ukrainian vessel waiting to help / s

[FreeReign]

I would imagine that Russian tanks headed for Kenya were probably in support of the Muslims there. There’s certainly no reason on earth why the U.S. should help the Russians do their dirty work.

Is this a Russian ship or a Ukrainian ship?

[Dubh_Ghlase]

Agreed. The Russians aren’t hampered by a bunch of PC rules. When they go in, they will finish the job. Only thing needed for cleanup will be a firehose...

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Thank you for this reply.
I had not heard about the Iranian ship hijacked in August.

[101voodoo]

In so doing, the Russians become pirates. The ship is Ukrainian, not Russian.

Minor detail. We're talking about Russians here.

[Dead Dog]

I wondering if this is a staged event. Another “Putin Tranqulizes Lion” Stunt.

Ukranian Crew, Rescued by Russian Navy While US Navy watches.

[Yo-Yo]

How about a 35m cruise missile?

How about the innocent crew still onboard?

[navyguy]

That’s an interesting theory and it wouldn’t surprise me if its correct.

The Russians set this up, then the Ukrainians pay the 35 million bucks and the Islamists then turn around and use the money to buy Russian weapons. Works out great for the Russians.

[DB]

Kind of hard to hide a freighter ship...

Stupid pirates = dead pirates...

Keep up the good work!

[Concho]

As I get this, the Ruskies sold Tanks to Kenya. They are being transported by a Ukranian ship. The Ukranian ship, hired by Russia, sailed from a port in the Black Sea. No different than someone here shipping a multi million dollar load on an over the road freight company truck. The cargo is still Russias until it is delivered on the shore at Kenya. Whether the freighter belongs to Russia or not, the cargo does.

Perhaps the USSF could establish a protective perimeter around the area, and the RussianSF could go in and mop a$$, and then they all disappear with no witnesses to what might have happened.

[Claytonbridge]

We need to send in a “brigade of lawyers” to explain to the Pirates their “rights” before the Russians arrive....then assist in the negotiation with the Russians. They could create the reams of documents necessary to consummate the deal.

[FastCoyote]

[These are some dumb pirates.]

Russians are mean sons o bitches. I suspect the sea will run red with scum pirate blood soon enough.

[enraged]

WOW! Fantastic article, and the comments that follow are very good too. Damn smart people over there. Here too...

[navyguy]

Is that correct? That the Rooskies simply hired a Ukrainian ship to move Russian owned cargo? If it is that certainly changes things. In that case I would expect the Russians to hammer these retarded punks. Should make for some nice video.

[American Infidel]

Okay, there are 33 tanks aboard, and no one thought to bring a gun?

I was thinking the same thing. It's not like these pirate ships can just "sneak up" on anyone in the open ocean. How difficult can it be to take these guys out when they get too close (assuming you have the weapons)?

Perhaps I am oversimplifying, but it seems that you really need to prepare for the possibility of pirates in that region by arming yourself and taking out any boat that gets too close.

[Vinnie]

Soooo, if the ship happened to sink, it would be a twofer.