When I Was Young

SOMALI PIRATES

LONDON — Somali pirates are apparently being aided by intelligence gathered by associates living in Britain.

According to a Spanish radio station, a document produced by a European military intelligence agency claims pirates are targeting specific ships identified by a team of "well-placed advisers" in London. They are in constant satellite telephone contact with pirate commanders on land, who pass details of the layout of the vessel, its crew, route and cargo.

A Spanish radio station, Cadena SER, quoted the document yesterday. "The information provided voluntarily by merchant ships transiting the area to various international agencies has now landed in the pirates' hands," the document said.

Captains of hijacked ships said the pirates knew in great detail the nationalities of the crew, the ship's position, its layout and its destination.

The document, drawn up for the anti-piracy force patrolling off Somalia, reportedly said hijackers are avoiding ships sailing under certain flags, including Britain's. It was unclear why leaks of such sensitive details appear to be coming from there.

The pirate gangs are said to have grown out of vigilante patrols set up by Somalis to force trawlers stealing Somali fish to pay "tax" on their catches.

But the trend has turned into plunder, with ships hijacked purely for the millions in ransoms which are regularly paid.

A Somali minister said such payments, often denied by ship owners, was worsening the situation. "They are just running for ransom, you know ... and giving to these pirates is what made them strong," said Mr Abdul Karis Osman Issa, a minister in the Puntland region of Somalia.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 13-May-2009

PIRACY TRIAL

Somali teen pirate to be tried as an adult in US court

NEW YORK — A teenaged pirate captured by US forces in a high-seas drama off Somalia was ordered to stand trial here as an adult on Tuesday.

Abduhl Wali-i-Musi, wearing a blue T-shirt and with head lowered as he entered the court with an interpreter, faces the mandatory life imprisonment if convicted on the most serious charge of piracy.

Judge Andrew Peck ruled the young Somali would be tried as an adult after rejecting a claim by the defendant’s father that Musi was only 15 years old. Prosecutors said he was over 18.

The five charges filed against Musi were piracy “under the law of nations”, conspiracy to seize a ship by force, conspiracy to take hostages, and discharging and brandishing a firearm in the course of a hostage-taking.

Musi was allegedly one of four Somali pirates who boarded the US container ship Maersk Alabama on April 8, and later fled taking its American captain, Richard Phillips, as a hostage in a small life boat.

Musi, who prosecutors described as the group’s leader, was taken into custody April 12 after he boarded the USS Bainbridge to demand safe passage in return for Mr Phillips’ release.

On the fifth day of the ordeal, US Navy snipers shot dead the other three pirates and rescued Mr Phillips.

The crew member who stabbed Musi said on Tuesday that the teenager counted himself lucky to raid a US ship and carried himself as the leader of the pirate gang.

“He was surprised he was on a US ship. He kept asking, ‘You all come from America?’ Then he claps and cheers and smiles. He caught himself a big fish. He can’t believe it,” crew member ATM “Zahid” Reza said.

He said Musi told him it was his dream to come to America. “His dreams come true, but he comes to the US not as a visitor, but as a prisoner,” Mr Reza said.

AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 23-April-2009