US Navy captures suspected pirates off Somali coast

[Eugene]

US Navy captures suspected pirates off Somali coast
Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:15 PM ET

DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. Navy vessels pursued a suspected pirate ship in the Indian Ocean
off Somalia's coast and fired warning shots to capture its crew on Saturday, U.S. Navy
Forces Central Command said.

The guided missile destroyer Winston S. Churchill and other U.S. naval forces located the vessel
after receiving a report of an attempted act of piracy, but it failed to respond to orders to stop.

<snip>

"(Later) Churchill fired additional warning shots, and at that time the crew of the suspect pirate
vessel established communications by radio and indicated that they would begin sending personnel
to the Churchill via their small boat in tow."

The crewmembers were seized and U.S. Navy sailors who boarded the vessel discovered small-arms
weapons on board, the statement said. It did not say how many suspects were held.

<snip>

Full article: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-21T231537Z_01_L21705739_RTRUKOC_0_US-SOMALIA-PIRATES.xml

[Massacure]

1. What court tries pirates?

[davepc]

5. All depends on who catches them.

[Zynx]

10. Pirates don't necessarily get a court.

You can just shoot them if you want to. And whoever catches them can try them.

Pirates are under "universal" jurisdiction as far as international law is concerned. But historically, they've tended just to be hung or shot.

[Up2Late]

2. It's about time, this has been going on for too long.

Even though * hates doing anything to help Africa, this will help the U.S. rep around the world (unless we just ship them to GTMO).

[951-Riverside]

3. ...Does anyone actually care about Piracy in Africa?

I don't see how this could do anything for America.

[BiggJawn]

6. Less danger for US cruiser yachts.

Can't have those Bush Pioneers getting their sailboats stolen from them and their "Administrative Assistants" getting molested, y'know...

[Up2Late]

8. I guess you've never asked yourself why the U.S. still operating...

...11 active Air Craft Carriers around the world. It's to protect U.S. "vital interests" (Oil and Commerce). This will show the world that we not doing this ONLY for selfish reasons, this problem has been on the rise and it's got a lot worst last year. Unfortunately, it's starting to look like this action was taken to protect our Oil interest, not for un-selfish reasons.

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1689661,00.html>

"...Last year there was a dramatic escalation in the number of pirate raids off the 1,880-mile Somali coast, from two in 2004 to 35. Pirates are currently holding a cargo ship and four fishing trawlers hostage.

The attacks threaten trade and humanitarian aid - the Semlow was carrying sacks of rice for emergency food aid in Somalia. The UN has been forced to stop shipping food to the Horn of Africa and instead has to use unsurfaced roads through northern Kenya, raising the costs and threatening the survival of half a million people in drought-stricken southern Somalia...."

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4415196.stm>

...The greatest number of attacks overall were off Indonesia, with 61 of a total of 205 attacks reported worldwide. Gloabally, though, attacks fell 18% in the first nine months of 2005 on the same period of 2004, said the report from the International Maritime Bureau.



Somali spike

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) says in the nine-month period of 2005, 141 ships were boarded, 15 fired upon and 11 were hijacked. Of the 259 crewmembers taken hostage, 12 are still missing. The most alarming rise in attacks was off the eastern and north-eastern coast of Somalia, where attacks shot up from one in 2004 to 19 in 2005. In one incident, the report says, a vessel was lured closer to the shore by pirates who set off distress flares....

This is NOT just about protecting Cruse ships.

[dysfunctional press]

9. cruise ships full of europeans will be grateful...

it certainly can't hurt our image to cut down on piracy for a change.

[Posteritatis]

15. What, ridiculously dangerous waters just off the Red Sea?

I don't see how that could possibly affect anything...

[daleo]

4. How will this effect global warming? n/t

[SledDriver]

7. "Captain" Jack Sparrow...

:eyes:

[petronius]

11. The Navy!? The damn RIAA has gone too far this time!

Oh, real pirates...never mind, then.

It's funny in a way that the first big overseas thing our navy ever did was chasing pirates around Africa (albeit a different part), and we're still doing it 200 years later.

[eagler]

12. They were also Muslim pirates 200 years ago

Go figure.

[Kagemusha]

13. People ought to be celebrating this...

I mean, US military forces tend to do so much "American Empire" related stuff that something actually just plain responsible and correct like capturing suspected pirates threatening commercial or private shipping should be cheered. Same as when cops nab an actual murderer rather than shooting unarmed men dozens of times at the wrong apartment or... something. Act happy, damnit! They did something right. We don't have to play good-seaman-bad-admiral and excuse the little people; the little AND the big people are in the right.

[Sweet Pea]

14. This IS a good thing...

That region has the potential to be an important trading/commerce/tourism spot in the grand scheme of things for the area, with its location at the entrance and exit of the Red Sea. If the surrounding nations, specifically Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ertitea, etc and to a larger extent Somalia are to ever climb back into the realm of responsible, productive countries then the sea-borne elements of societal disruption need to be vigorously attacked. Whether we like it or not, two of the world's most important sea choke-points are in the region - Bab al-Mandeb and Hormuz, and until we acknowledge and understand and prepare for the global recession that would result from a severe occlusion or cessation of oil transport due to sea-based pirate activity on the region, we need to work with other nations in the area to keep it at least as stable as possible.

:)

[pitohui]

17. agreed

the gee dee pirates have got to go & it's high time a few of them were captured

[leeroysphitz]

16. AAAARRRHHHHH!!!! n/t