The Somali pirates aboard the supertanker Saudi Sirius Star Friday have strengthened their defensive around the boat, bringing militiamen in the port to protect a near-miraculous they intend to negotiate $ 25 million.
A hundred armed militiamen have converged on Harardere since Thursday, a small fishing port located about 300 km north of Mogadishu where the supertanker is anchored since Tuesday.
"The boat is still anchored in one place and small boats come to refuel," reported the AFP Friday to a fisherman, Osman Nur Moalim.
The capture Saturday of Sirius Star, 330 meters long and containing in its holds 300,000 tonnes of oil is piracy operation conducted the most spectacular off Somalia.
"We are asking $ 25 million to owners of Saudi oil. We do not want discussions that go on," said Thursday one of the hijackers, Mohamed Said, attached to the phone on board the Sirius Star by AFP.
"The Saudis have ten days to meet" this request, "otherwise we will act in a manner which could be disastrous," he warned.
Pending the expiry of the ultimatum, hackers were trying Friday to prevent any attempt of armed intervention by foreign marine crossing in the region, or by armed groups opposed to pirates.
"The fighters are from Galgudud and Mudug, two regions of central Somalia located not far from Harardere, told AFP a resident Mohamed Awale.
"Other militiamen are expected to support their brothers", for its part explained another resident, Abdulkadir Mohamed.
Returning Friday from previous statements, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, did not know whether the owners of Sirius Star negotiating with the pirates and has rejected any discussion with them, describing Maritime piracy "demon that must be eradicated as terrorism."
According to the International Maritime Bureau (BMI), 94 boats were attacked by Somali pirates since January. Thirty-eight ships were hijacked 16 of which are still in the hands of pirates.
Friday, pirates released MV Genius, a cargo ship carrying chemicals belonging to a Greek shipowner and the flag of Liberia they had seized in September, said Andrew Mwangura, the head of the Kenyan branch of the program for the marine .
The vessel had been caught in the Gulf of Aden on September 25, carrying 19 crew members of Romanian nationality.
Several countries have sent warships to fight against bandits seas but the latter, based in particular on their speed of action, have increased their catches with ease. Somali pirates on board two fast boats, and have needed only 16 minutes to capture Saturday of Sirius Star.
Faced with a phenomenon that disrupts a major global shipping routes, the international community continued to mobilize.
The United States circulated to the Security Council of a draft UN resolution to strengthen international action. Russia, whose warship patrolling the Bold already in the area, announced Thursday the dispatch of other warships in the region, a militaristic approach advocated by one of the largest shipping companies in the sector.
"I think this is the only solution", told AFP Martin Jensen, manager of the company Frontline, which has one of the world's largest fleets of oil tankers.
Meanwhile, activity seems to be very lucrative: hackers have obtained some 150 million dollars in ransoms a year, said the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"What began with a simple illegal activity of a few rogue Somali nationals now resembles a major international criminal enterprise that affects us all," lamented Moses Wetangula.
A hundred armed militiamen have converged on Harardere since Thursday, a small fishing port located about 300 km north of Mogadishu where the supertanker is anchored since Tuesday.
"The boat is still anchored in one place and small boats come to refuel," reported the AFP Friday to a fisherman, Osman Nur Moalim.
The capture Saturday of Sirius Star, 330 meters long and containing in its holds 300,000 tonnes of oil is piracy operation conducted the most spectacular off Somalia.
"We are asking $ 25 million to owners of Saudi oil. We do not want discussions that go on," said Thursday one of the hijackers, Mohamed Said, attached to the phone on board the Sirius Star by AFP.
"The Saudis have ten days to meet" this request, "otherwise we will act in a manner which could be disastrous," he warned.
Pending the expiry of the ultimatum, hackers were trying Friday to prevent any attempt of armed intervention by foreign marine crossing in the region, or by armed groups opposed to pirates.
"The fighters are from Galgudud and Mudug, two regions of central Somalia located not far from Harardere, told AFP a resident Mohamed Awale.
"Other militiamen are expected to support their brothers", for its part explained another resident, Abdulkadir Mohamed.
Returning Friday from previous statements, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, did not know whether the owners of Sirius Star negotiating with the pirates and has rejected any discussion with them, describing Maritime piracy "demon that must be eradicated as terrorism."
According to the International Maritime Bureau (BMI), 94 boats were attacked by Somali pirates since January. Thirty-eight ships were hijacked 16 of which are still in the hands of pirates.
Friday, pirates released MV Genius, a cargo ship carrying chemicals belonging to a Greek shipowner and the flag of Liberia they had seized in September, said Andrew Mwangura, the head of the Kenyan branch of the program for the marine .
The vessel had been caught in the Gulf of Aden on September 25, carrying 19 crew members of Romanian nationality.
Several countries have sent warships to fight against bandits seas but the latter, based in particular on their speed of action, have increased their catches with ease. Somali pirates on board two fast boats, and have needed only 16 minutes to capture Saturday of Sirius Star.
Faced with a phenomenon that disrupts a major global shipping routes, the international community continued to mobilize.
The United States circulated to the Security Council of a draft UN resolution to strengthen international action. Russia, whose warship patrolling the Bold already in the area, announced Thursday the dispatch of other warships in the region, a militaristic approach advocated by one of the largest shipping companies in the sector.
"I think this is the only solution", told AFP Martin Jensen, manager of the company Frontline, which has one of the world's largest fleets of oil tankers.
Meanwhile, activity seems to be very lucrative: hackers have obtained some 150 million dollars in ransoms a year, said the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"What began with a simple illegal activity of a few rogue Somali nationals now resembles a major international criminal enterprise that affects us all," lamented Moses Wetangula.
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