Pirates threaten to blast ship

[José M. Rico]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/10/11/ ... 223749233/

Pirates threaten to blast ship

MOGADISHU, Somalia, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Pirates who have seized a Ukrainian ship and its crew have threatened to blow up the ship, which is laden with weapons, if they are not paid $8 million.

"We are ready to blast the ship, the cargo and ourselves if the owners refuse to pay us ransom," a representative of the pirates said.

The Faina is loaded with military cargo, including 33 T-72 tanks and other weaponry bound for Kenya. The ship's 17-member crew is being held hostage on the vessel, ITAR-TASS reported Friday.

Last week, the Russian warship Neustrashimy was dispatched to waters off the coast of Somali to respond to the crisis. Two U.S. Navy ships have encircled the Faina to prevent the cargo from being unloaded. The ship was taken over by pirates Sept. 25.

Pirates this year have seized about 60 vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean off the Somali coast. A total of 374 foreign sailors were taken hostage in September alone, Risk Intelligence in Copenhagen, Denmark, said.

[RF]

A job for Q-ships and hilfskreuzer methinks. Ambush the pirates.

Strange that Al Qaeda doesn't get mentioned here. Those magic words would bring swift retribution from the US Navy.

[oifvet23]

I don't understand why the US government don't write them a check, it will bounce when they go to cash it..HaHa Im going to hell for that..

[minoru genda]

A job for Q-ships and hilfskreuzer methinks. Ambush the pirates.

Good idea. Sending a Hilfskreuzer with heavily armed marines. When the pirates get close then blow them out of the water!

[RF]

I don't understand why the US government don't write them a check, it will bounce when they go to cash it..HaHa Im going to hell for that..

When the cheque bounces the pirates will simply seize more ships and won't be accepting cheques.

In any case the pirates will be aware that under money laundering regulations they would not be able to even present a cheque for payment at any banking institution in the world.