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Somali pirates cut ransoms to clear hijacked ships
Reuters ^ | Mar 13, 2011 | Mohamed Ahmed and Abdi sheikh

Posted on 03/13/2011 3:11:29 PM PDT by george76

Somali pirates said on Sunday they would lower some of their ransom demands to get a faster turnover of ships they hijack in the Indian Ocean.

Armed pirate gangs, who have made millions of dollars capturing ships as far south as the Seychelles and eastwards towards India, said they were holding too many vessels and needed a quicker handover to generate more income.

“I believe there is no excuse for taking high ransoms. At least each of our groups holds ships now,” pirate Hussein told Reuters from Hobyo on the Somalian coast. He said the pirates were holding more than 30 ships at the moment.

“We have lowered the ransom only for the ships we have used to hijack other ships. We sometimes release these ships free of charge for they generate more (money). But we shall not lower the ransom for the bulk ships we are sure can bring bulk money.”

Using captured merchant vessels as launch pads for new hijackings, the pirates have grown bolder despite a loosely coordinated global response, and insurance premiums for shipping lines have rocketed.

...

since late February, the pirates have had to share their spoils with the Al Shabaab Islamist rebels, who profess loyalty to Al Qaeda.

(Excerpt) Read more at thestar.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; alshabaab; islamistrebels; napl; pirates; somali; somalipirates
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1 posted on 03/13/2011 3:11:36 PM PDT by george76
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To: george76

What??? a “blue light special?” Clearance sale?? How these pirates are allowed to still exist is beyond me.


2 posted on 03/13/2011 3:15:22 PM PDT by ColdOne
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To: george76

Sounds like the pirates need to create a hostage and vessel clearinghouse of some kind. Arrrrg!


3 posted on 03/13/2011 3:15:25 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Look for the union label and just say, NO!)
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To: george76

Right, so that just leaves the federal government that doesn’t understand market forces.


4 posted on 03/13/2011 3:19:51 PM PDT by americanophile ("this absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, is a rotting corpse which poisons our lives"-Ataturk)
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To: george76

That’s bad when pirating becomes a ‘supply and demand’ economy.

Too many boats/captives, too little booty/bounty.


5 posted on 03/13/2011 3:20:48 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: george76

I say tell the Somali govt that “since you can’t control who is leaving your shores, WE WILL!”, And that means we sink everything that strays more than say 1 mile from your shore - sort of a “no-float zone”.

Screw the U.N. and what they say.

EXCEPTION: If Michael Moore is captured, then by all means the pirates should “give him a deal”.


6 posted on 03/13/2011 3:20:56 PM PDT by profit_guy
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To: george76

So the economy is even FUBAR for Jihadist pirates? That guy Obama is something else!! Will they get a bailout?


7 posted on 03/13/2011 3:21:20 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet ("You cannot invade the US There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass." Yamamoto)
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To: ColdOne

I can understand our boy in the White Hut not doing anything as it might get in the way of a round of golf or a Motown night or even another vacation. What I don’t understand is the hands off attitude of the actual world leaders that actually have a set.


8 posted on 03/13/2011 3:21:43 PM PDT by rhubarbk
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To: george76
Armed pirate gangs, who have made millions of dollars capturing ships

Gee, I wonder why they keep doing this.

9 posted on 03/13/2011 3:22:47 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: george76
Just announced... Hostage Outlet opening up in east Mogadishu!
10 posted on 03/13/2011 3:24:20 PM PDT by Shqipo (I am the unofficial originator of the Mega-Bump! Only use judiciously.)
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To: george76; a fool in paradise; JoeProBono

Soon on OVERSTOCK.COM.


11 posted on 03/13/2011 3:24:24 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: rhubarbk

You said “boy”, lol...expect a visit from Eric Holder...


12 posted on 03/13/2011 3:24:58 PM PDT by profit_guy
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To: ColdOne
What??? a “blue light special?” Clearance sale?? How these pirates are allowed to still exist is beyond me.

Maybe our pirates "Betters" will be inspired to lower ransoms taxes?

Hey, anything is possible...

13 posted on 03/13/2011 3:25:39 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 781 of our national holiday from reality. - tic. tic. tic. It's almost 3 AM)
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To: george76

“Low, low ransoms!

We have to make room for new inventory now!
The boss says ‘no offer refused’!”

And my favorite sale spiel...

“I’d give them away... but my wives won’t let me!!!!!!”


14 posted on 03/13/2011 3:28:31 PM PDT by mrsmith
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To: george76
Sales personnel.


15 posted on 03/13/2011 3:29:42 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Revolting cat!; Slings and Arrows
"We're slashing our prices every day!"

PIRATE FAIL!

16 posted on 03/13/2011 3:30:03 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: george76

Pay them in “Basic Economics” By Thomas Sowell.


17 posted on 03/13/2011 3:30:33 PM PDT by CriticalJ (Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.. But then I repeat myself. MT)
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To: ColdOne

Political correctness protects the Somali pirates as it does the “poor kidnappers” of Mexico.


18 posted on 03/13/2011 3:31:02 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: george76
Wanna talk to the manager?


19 posted on 03/13/2011 3:32:21 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: CriticalJ

I wonder if the Russians will take them up on this deal.


20 posted on 03/13/2011 3:32:59 PM PDT by profit_guy
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