TENSIONS heated up on the high seas yesterday, as the French Navy captured nine pirates near the Gulf of Aden and a Somali pirate warned that the crew of a hijacked Ukrainian arms ship would be killed if Nato forces attacked.
The French Navy intercepted two small boats about 115 miles from the nearest coast, and discovered assault rifles, grenade-launchers, grappling hooks and ladders on board.
The prisoners were handed over to Somali officials, and French officials
received assurances they would be treated according to international conventions.
"We wanted to send a very clear message to the pirates that the days of their flourishing business are over," said General Christian Baptiste, a French Defence Ministry spokesman.
In order not to tip off any other pirates, he declined to say exactly when or where the hostages were captured.
Pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia this year have surged 75 per cent, the International Maritime Bureau said on Thursday, calling for serious international action against the brigands who "operate with impunity."
The waters off Somalia, including the Gulf of Aden, are the world's most dangerous, accounting for 63 – or nearly a third – of the 199 reported pirate attacks worldwide so far this year.
Meanwhile Somali pirate Sugule Ali, a spokesman for those holding a Ukrainian arms ship, vowed yesterday to fight back if attacked, regardless of the impending arrival of a flotilla of Nato warships.
"Either we get the money or hold onto the ship. And if attacked, we will fight back to the bitter end," Ali said via satellite telephone. "The important thing, though, is if we die they will die too," he added, referring to the MV Faina's 20-man crew.
The Faina was heading for a Kenyan port with a cargo of 33 battle tanks and heavy weapons when armed pirates seized it 25 September. The ship is now anchored off Somalia's coast near the central town of Hobyo. US warships have surrounded the Faina for weeks, making sure the heavy weapons don't fall into the hands of insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda.
Ali said food and water are running low on the Faina but the pirates were sharing what they had with the crew.
"We Somalis don't eat in front of a hungry person," he said – and responding to suggestions that only $1 million of the $20 million ransom has been collected, he added: "That's worthless."
The full article contains 409 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
