Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Somali Pirates Kill 4 Americans on Hijacked Ship
American Forces Press Service ^ | 02/22/2011 | DoD

Posted on 02/22/2011 7:33:13 AM PST by Allthegoodusernamesaregone

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2011 – Somali pirates killed all four Americans they had held hostage aboard a sailing vessel in the Indian Ocean this morning, U.S. Central Command officials announced.

U.S. officials were negotiating with the pirates for the safe return of the captured Americans when the murders took place, officials said.

Centcom officials said that in the midst of negotiations, U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the S/V Quest. When the forces reached the boat, officials said, they discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors. Despite immediate steps to provide life-saving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds.

During the boarding, the Somali pirates fired on the U.S. forces, who killed two pirates and captured 13 others. U.S. forces already had captured two other pirates, and the servicemembers boarding the Quest found the remains of two other pirates.

“In total, it is believed 19 pirates were involved in the hijacking of the S/V Quest,” Centcom officials said.

“We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest,” said Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Centcom’s commander.

The pirates seized the boat Feb. 18 off the coast of Oman. Somali pirates -– often operating from mother ships far out to sea -- have captured scores of ships and generally have held the ships and crews for ransom. News reports indicate Somali pirates currently hold 29 ships with more than 660 hostages.

Piracy in the region occurred originally off of Somalia’s east coast for several years. In August 2009, the pirates extended their attacks to the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia’s north coast. The pirates since have ranged farther out to sea -– up to 600 miles –- and now affect more than a million square miles in the Gulf of Aden, the west Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

The United States has worked closely with regional and international partners to attack the problem. In this case, American forces closely monitored and tailed the Quest. Four U.S. Navy warships made up a response force dedicated to recovering the S/V Quest: the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, the guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Bulkeley.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abdi; abdiali; abrar; abukar; adam; afmagalo; ahmed; ali; aqid; basher; beyle; bibles; cellphone; christianpersecution; christians; dabid; dudan; fooley; gardan; globaljihad; gurdan; gurden; hijack; hirs; hostages; ilkasse; internet; islam; issa; jama; jeanadam; jihad; jilani; juguuf; khalif; kidnapping; killingamericans; killingchristians; lolligagging; macay; mahad; mahdi; mahdijamamohamed; mobilephone; mohamed; mohammad; mohamud; mounir; mounirali; muhdin; muhidin; muhidinsaladomar; muhiyadensalad; muner; murder; murderers; muse; muslims; nurani; omar; osman; phyllismacay; piracy; pirates; quest; ransom; riggle; robbers; robertriggle; saaili; saed; said; salad; sanadaaq; scottadam; shani; shibin; shiekh; shiekhabrar; somali; somalia; somalipirates; somalis; svquest; terrorism; terrorists; yemen; yemeni
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 201-220 next last
To: hiredhand; samtheman; sickoflibs; Gilbo_3; ExSoldier; Squantos

“...summarily executing them and documenting it and publicizing it...”

Interesting...hanging them on deck, videotaped, with a sign strapped to their chest “PIRATE”, then literally throwing them overboard to the waiting Tigers, Makos, and Hammerheads swimming below (after suitably chumming the water).

Then posting it on Youtube...sorta like those animals did to Nick Berg and Daniel Pearl.

But do all this AFTER a summary trial so it’s “fair and balanced” for the media assjackets...

I like it!!

And for the record brother Hiredhand, I WOULD want to see you run for President, with good buddy Squantos as VP!!!!!!! I’ll be yer damned Campaign Manager (as long as I get the Secretary of Defense job after the win), and ol’ Gilbo can be our Media Consultant (and then UN Ambassador)!!!!

Heheheh...One HELL of a campaign, I’d say!!!


141 posted on 02/22/2011 1:19:10 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 135 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs; hiredhand; Gilbo_3; ExSoldier; NFHale

Since you bring up the PRC I have to change the subject enough to wonder out loud who are the more evil villains, the Somali Pirates, the PRC commercial operations in Africa that use slave labor, or the African countries that allow the PRC to operate their slave-labor enterprises.

I’ll be as happy as the next guy if the PRC massacres a few tens or few hundred or few thousand pirates... but I’ll also always remember that the PRC has many thousands of Africans in chains on the African continent. They are not good people.


142 posted on 02/22/2011 1:23:08 PM PST by samtheman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: NFHale

Hey, I’ll vote for that ticket. Though I don’t like the idea of hanging the pirates before throwing them to the sharks. That’s veering dangerously close to soft-on-crime.


143 posted on 02/22/2011 1:25:04 PM PST by samtheman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: NFHale
Yep... just hang them on deck...after the trial, and document it well for publicity and records keeping afterwards.

I seriously appreciate your confidence, but nobody would ever vote for me. :-) Nobody wants me around unless something is in SERIOUS BAD need of fixing, destroying or killing. People are usually at their wits end and hopeless by the time they ask me or anybody like me. I'm the last type to get involved...EVER, and when I get asked, things are always very bad. That's the way my life has been for the past 30 years or so. I've become "accustomed" to it, but I wouldn't say I'm used to it. It's frustrating because I watch things digress and try to warn others, but they simply don't perceive it. I can pretty much guess when I'm going to get the call.

:-)
144 posted on 02/22/2011 1:30:39 PM PST by hiredhand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: CanaGuy
The problem is with international laws of the sea and the agreements signed. Commercial ships cannot be armed, or fight their way out of bad situations, nor enter ports armed.

The US should set the standard and allow commercial shipping with militia type weapons on board, even small cannon -- 30 mm.

145 posted on 02/22/2011 1:32:05 PM PST by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: NFHale

UN ambassador ??? hell talk about easy money for no work, after we nuke em outta NYC anyways 8^}...


146 posted on 02/22/2011 1:37:34 PM PST by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: samtheman

“...hanging the pirates before throwing them to the sharks...”

Well, there’s something MORE gruesome about seeing a lifeless, flopping, linp body thrown overboard like just so much trash, to waiting eating machines below.

Throwing them ALIVE to the sharks is sorta barbaric...that’s something THEY’D do, and we’re not them, ya know?

And besides...the Mooj have this thing about hanging...it bugs the sh*t outta them for some reason...”common criminal” deal or something insulting.

But it’s all just pissing in the wind right now. We’ve got no one with any balls in command positions to take these kinds of actions to make a statement to these animals.

We have a Feckless Douchebag sockpuppet running around apologizing for us instead.


147 posted on 02/22/2011 1:41:13 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: NFHale

I’d rather run the Christians in action....

:o)


148 posted on 02/22/2011 1:41:54 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: hiredhand

I’ll vote for you! I promise! I WANT that SecDef job!!!


149 posted on 02/22/2011 1:42:18 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 144 | View Replies]

To: samtheman; hiredhand; Gilbo_3; ExSoldier; NFHale

OH-OH, I was thinking those PRC bastards were smart for taking care of themselves first. Maybe not the ideal model for us, but certainly a contrast to a certain country that appears to have it’s head.....

Heck, we go into Somalia on a humanitarian mission and get out butts kicked by a few lowlifes, and they (PRC) are in Africa buying off the leaders, taking over the country and using the people as servants getting $$$ for it.

But then again Cartman was always my favorite South Park character.


150 posted on 02/22/2011 1:48:47 PM PST by sickoflibs ("It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: NFHale; Squantos

You’ll be the FIRST to know if I decide to run, but honestly it sounds like more fun to work for Squantos. :-)


151 posted on 02/22/2011 1:49:27 PM PST by hiredhand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 149 | View Replies]

To: Gilbo_3; sickoflibs; hiredhand; ExSoldier; samtheman
Gilbo, if you went to the UN as Ambassador, I predict a few dozen Marxist thugs getting soundly and roundly THRASHED inside of twenty minutes after you entered... and for the record...I'd be dogpiling in there too!!! Wouldn't THAT be a sight...I can see the headlines now... "VULGAR BRAWL AT THE UNITED NATIONS...(AP)..Today, two "Extreme Right-Wing Conservative Paramilitary White Heterosexual Christian Intolernant Insensitive Males" went berserk today, viciously attacking and assaulting the Peace-Loving, Tolerant, Diverse, and Democratic Peoples Republic of Buttcrackistan Ambassador delegation...General Secretary Rec Tal Roid could not be reached for Comment, as he was summarily hospitalized. Doctors worked all through the night trying to remove his cranium from his colon, where it was forcibly jammed during the brawl. Ambassador Gilbo and SecDef Hale could not be reached for comment at this time..." Yeah...it'd be a brawl worth remembering...Ha!! I'd LOVE it. Okay...enough with the pleasentries....reality intrudes
152 posted on 02/22/2011 1:51:45 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: Squantos

Aw, C’mon Squantos...you’d be a GREAT VP. You could get to take some choice Senators or COngressmen hunting...sorta like Dick Cheney did...

Just THINK about the possibilities! :^)


153 posted on 02/22/2011 1:53:53 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies]

To: NFHale
Buttcrackistan?!?!

LOL! :-)
154 posted on 02/22/2011 1:56:01 PM PST by hiredhand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: hiredhand

Would you prefer Analartica or Armpitalaya?

Equally Third Worldish!!!


155 posted on 02/22/2011 1:57:48 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 154 | View Replies]

To: NFHale
I won't forget Buttcrackistan :-) That's a hoot! :-)
156 posted on 02/22/2011 2:05:30 PM PST by hiredhand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: hiredhand

It’s a sh*tty place, though...not a nice place to visit, and wouldn’t want to live there...


157 posted on 02/22/2011 2:07:08 PM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs
You forgot part that Yahoo Answers answer
3) Pirates have yet to kill a single hostage, so most nations consider ransoming to be a valid alternative to a potentially lethal fight
But even that that cocksure SOB of an answerer, promethius9594, got his facts wrong and wrong again.

The Somali pirates have killed a number of hostages. They claim they that "die in captivity". The idiot's answer is wrong that no hostage has been killed and wrong to suggest by his friggin DEADLY pacifistic answer that none will be killed. As The Economist reports a week ago, ""Piracy off the coast of Somalia is getting worse. Time to act" :

LAST year, pirates took 1,181 people hostage off the Somali coast. About half were released after the payment of ransoms, a few have died of abuse or neglect and around 760 are currently in captivity. They are usually held prisoner on their own hijacked vessels, some of which are employed as mother-ships from which the pirates stage further raids. So far this year, there have been 35 attacks, seven of them successful. In March, when the monsoon abates and the Arabian Sea grows calmer, the pace of the attacks will quicken.
NO ONE KNOWS what the fate of the nearly 800 still in captivity. Every single man, woman and child held hostage is in fear for their life every minute of every day.
158 posted on 02/22/2011 2:07:08 PM PST by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: NFHale; hiredhand

I know....accidents happen but I’d rather go on safari per se with UCAVs with hellfires etc per se !

PULL !


159 posted on 02/22/2011 2:07:17 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 153 | View Replies]

To: Allthegoodusernamesaregone

This is what decades of liberalism brings you. We can’t even figure out how to take care of 4 Americans at sea held by a bunch of “boyz in the hood”. How pathetic we’ve become. Sorry. I’m just really angry over this travesty.


160 posted on 02/22/2011 2:10:35 PM PST by animal172 (Can a girl with a mole on her face be happy married to a gopher?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 201-220 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson