Somali pirates fighting each other over huge ransom payoff

[Darth Wong]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/artic ... -ever?bn=1

Pirates feud over largest ransom ever
Mohamed Ahmed and Abdi Guled Reuters
Published On Sun Jan 17 2010

MOGADISHU—The largest ransom ever paid to Somali pirates was dropped on Sunday onto a Greek-flagged oil tanker with two million barrels of oil on-board, pirates and maritime officials said.

An aircraft dropped a ransom believed to be between $5.5 million and $7 million for the release of the tanker which was hijacked near the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles, the officials said.

The Maran Centaurus was seized on Nov. 29 with nine Greeks, two Ukrainians, one Romanian and 16 Filipinos on board and the ransom dwarfs amounts paid previously for vessels held captive by Somali sea gangs.

The tanker has yet to be freed as a dispute between rival pirate gangs over the spoils means the recipients are wary of returning to the coastal haven of Haradheere with their booty.

Earlier on Sunday, pirates aboard the tanker and rivals in speedboats fired at each other in a tussle for control of the vessel before the ransom was due to be delivered.

Pirates aboard a vessel anchored nearby and local elders onshore told Reuters helicopters from Western navies patrolling the waters off Somalia fired at the speedboats, clearing them from the area before the cash was dropped.

The pirates in the speedboats had threatened to set the tanker ablaze if they did not receive a share of the spoils.

"We have risked our lives in hijacking the ship. These Haradheere men cannot deprive us of our rights," a pirate called Aden told Reuters. "If need be, we shall start a fire as soon as the ransom is about to arrive."

Somali pirates had a bumper year in 2009. Worldwide piracy attacks surged nearly 40 per cent, with Somali pirates accounting for more than half of the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

Typically, the pirates hold the ships and crew hostage until they are paid ransoms and free the vessels. With ransom payments running into millions of dollars, the stakes are high for the gunmen in their poor, anarchic Horn of Africa nation.

At the end of last year, Somali pirates were holding at least 12 vessels for ransom with 263 crew members of various nationalities as hostages, the IMB said last week.

A $3 million ransom was paid for the release of another oil tanker, the Sirius Star, in January 2009. Ransoms around that figure have been paid subsequently for the release of merchant shipping vessels.

Ransoms are usually divided between the hijackers — with bigger shares going to those who first boarded the vessel — people who have invested in the pirate ventures, those who guard moored ships and local communities onshore.

There is even a small pirate "stock exchange" in Haradheere where Somalis can contribute money or weapons to the sea gangs in return for a dividend when ransoms are paid. In Puntland, by contrast, the authorities have pledged to crack down on piracy.

"The argument started after men from Puntland who hijacked the ship refused a ransom share for Haradheere pirates. Now hundreds of well-armed and angry pirates have gone onto the ship," pirate Hassan told Reuters.

It sounds like a joke, but it isn't. It's pretty sad that Somalian sea piracy is turning into a de facto local economic system, but I guess even a de facto system breaks down when pirates behave like, well, pirates.

[Oskuro]

I am so tempted to sig this:

"We have risked our lives in hijacking the ship. These Haradheere men cannot deprive us of our rights"

[Sea Skimmer]

The whole system might come crashing down if the pirates really do start burning each others ships, and suddenly shipping companies start running an actual risk by paying increasingly large ransoms. It’s a whole piracy bubble building thanks to international inaction and shipping companies no risk philosophy, it has to burst sometime. Its not like the pirates will stop just because life gets tougher. If a ship burns, they go out and steal another one.

[salm]

At least all the action around there scares away all the European fish thieves who were fishing illegaly. Apparently the fish populations have risen a lot after the pirates started pirating.

[Chris OFarrell]

Piracy Bubble...

The latest economic bubble about to come crashing down...

Skimmer, you just made my day

[wautd]

"We have risked our lives in hijacking the ship. These Haradheere men cannot deprive us of our rights"

I don't suppose there's a union for pirates yet?

[Sea Skimmer]

"We have risked our lives in hijacking the ship. These Haradheere men cannot deprive us of our rights"

I don't suppose there's a union for pirates yet?

Used to be. Pirates 500 years ago would sign detailed contracts governing rules and terms booty distribution when joining a pirate ship. They certainly did have a union, by which if the captain didn’t follow the contract when handing out gold, everyone else united together to throw him overboard. I suspect pirates from 500 years ago are more organized then anyone in Somalia

[Solauren]

The pirates had better be careful. Otherwise, they'll sink their livelyhoods. (Rimshot).

Okay, joking aside, chances like this are perfect chances for anti-pirate operations. Right now, a quick fly over by some helicopter gunships would elimate a lot of pirates. They are all in one place fighting each other!

Hell, one well placed 'lone sniper' could cause a the pirate to turn on each other with a vengence.

[Oskuro]

Why waste money on ammunition? Drop fake bags of money and see them kill each other.

[Themightytom]

"We have risked our lives in hijacking the ship. These Haradheere men cannot deprive us of our rights"

I don't suppose there's a union for pirates yet?

No just a loose association, along the lines of no rules, just more what you call guidelines...

Does anyone else see this as a potentially positive step? As it stands they are united under an umbrella of oursuing illegeitimate globally rejected income sources. Once theys tart fighting, if nothing else, a clear chain of leadership might emerge, or a recognition that a formal structure has to be put in place, the foundations of a rudimentary government. moreover as various vactions vie for power they might seek otuside support and make certain concessions, which could become a mechanism for unflouence.

Am i crazy here?

[Edward Yee]

Hell, one well placed 'lone sniper' could cause a the pirate to turn on each other with a vengence.

The "snake between Mordred and Arthur's armies" idea? After seeing the article about the cancelled CIA assassination program and the claims of a botched operation, I doubt the ability of most interested parties to execute successfuly...

[Sky Captain]

Just wondering what will happen if pirates start fighting for ransom and cause the ship to catch fire and burn down? It will be a sign for shipping companies paying a ransom is no guarantee that ship will be safely returned. Could that lead to more and more shipping companies letting the spec ops teams to retake the hijacked ships by force or hiring armed guards to prevent boarding.

[LaCroix]

I think it would make them consider allowing rescue operations. That would be cheaper than hiring own security.

[Sea Skimmer]

Rescues wont work anymore. The pirates have dozens of captured ships at anchor all with swarms of guards and swarms of hostages. Try to retake one ship at a time and they kill hostages on other ones. Trying to retake them all at once would require an absolutely enormous commando force in an operation with nothing even close to precedent.