29 September 2008
A hijack drama is playing out off the coast of Somalia, where pirates have seized a cargo ship reportedly carrying Russian T-72 tanks destined for Kenya.
A United States Navy report issued on Sunday said the USS Howard, a destroyer from the U.S. 5th Fleet, was patrolling within sight of the Motor Vessel Faina, a Belize-flagged cargo ship which was captured by pirates on September 25.
The Howard's commanding officer, Commander Curtis Goodnight, said: "My crew is actively monitoring the situation, keeping constant watch on the vessel and the waters in the immediate vicinity."
Agence France-Presse reports that the pirates, despite being surrounded by the Howard and two other foreign warships, have demanded a ransom of U.S. $20 million.
Speaking by satellite phone to AFP, Sugule Ali said the pirates were not afraid of the warships: "That will not make us to abandon the ship or to refrain from asking (for) the money. There is no shortage of food supply and all the crew members are healthy and well including ours."
The Faina is anchored near the Somali harbour city of Hobyo.
In Nairobi, The Nation newspaper reported Sunday that the Ukrainian-operated ship was carrying 33 battle tanks and "huge quantities of ammunition and grenade launchers" for the Kenyan armed forces.
It reported that the Kenyan Navy was headed for the Faina, where it would take part in a joint operation, including a Russian warship, to recover the hijacked ship.
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Another miss guided person! It doesn't matter what is on any ship anywhere. Taking something by force that doesn't belong to you is wrong, that is why that country is the way it is. Your justifing the theft and potential murder of innocent people. Take your head out of your --- and think about other people before yourself and you may have a better life. Christopher:)
We should shoot them all. No rescue just shoot them. The US Russia and Kenya should take them out and anyone like them. Now, is not the time to negotiate. Take them out. Unfortunately that would also mean the death of the crew.
This is an opportunity to see what the kenyan army is made of but they have not yet impressed yet. The ground army should be by now past mogadishu, the air force should be houvering over the ship and the navy should be at a striking distance. JUST DO THE JOB WE PAY YOU TO DO.
The pirates in Somalia are just trying to make a living in a structure-less society. As a Kenyan I am proud of my country but I think Kenya should not call itself a democracy while it has stood by and watched for more than a decade as the situation in Somalia gets worse.I am sure the EAC's armies can achieve total peace in Somalia in less than a month.The Kenyan government should help create long lasting solutions instead of going to Somalia and killing jobless youth for 32 tanks that will probably never be used for any conflicts. If there… [Read Full Text]
Its True that Kenya is a third world country.But in my believe is that Somalia could be a tenth world compared to Kenya.The manner in which we recruit our soldiers is by far different from Somalia.Kenyan Navy have now showed us that they cannot rescue in a dying situation.No wonder Fazul the Killer confidently uses all the Kenya's three major modes of transport.We must admit that our defense force is rotten.I hate to see the pretense of US that that they want to rescue the MV but in the real sense we know that the greedy Americans just want to… [Read Full Text]
Wait a second, for the record the technology of a russian tank compared the United States Technology, well there is none the US is far more advanced.If the situation was flipped, I would sure hope Russia would do the same thing we are doing. I sometimes feel the US should bring all of our resourses back home and let you other countries kill eachother (which you have savagely been doing for years without remorse). But I also think of the young mother and children that are helpless in all parts of the world because of GREED from your people which… [Read Full Text]
I agree with virginia with the moral of your opnion but the perception is long. Nato (America) never fights for us they fight for themselves and their interests. You brag that we are given millitary aid, The question is for what. we dont fight our neighbours and i cant see us doing it any time soon. Why did you invade iraq? You just did it for oil nothing else. You never got any weapons. Why is there conflicts in africa? It is caused by Nato and america for scramble of resources. Sudan it is oil, congo it is minerals, Nigeria… [Read Full Text]
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When the pirates were terrorising the ships that were carrying humanitarian food aid for the displaced in refugee camps out side Mogadisho, the world turned a blind eye and let those poor African folks die of starvation. But of course , when the pirates hit the jack pot of 30 tanks and countless ammunitions , every one seems to panic and run for the loot.Or are they running for their lives?. Mind you , as a Somali citizen who is very concerned about the plight of the Somali people and the humantarian catastorphy that is looming around, i don't give… [Read Full Text]