Feral Jundi

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Somalia: Ship’s Captain Freed After Three Pirates are Killed in Gunfight

Filed under: Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , — Matt @ 5:51 PM

   I would guess that SEAL Team 6 was probably responsible, and good for them for pulling off such a difficult mission.  And this could have easily ended bad, but for this fight and this day, I will gladly cheer on and celebrate a success.

    The other point I wanted to make, is the comments made by the pirates themselves.  Especially after news that their fellow pirates were just dealt with violently.  Here is the quote:

“The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing. We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now.” 

    My question for these thugs, is if you only take ransom, what are the RPG’s and AK 47’s for?  What a very odd mindset, and it is the type of mindset that has been conditioned by a really good racket.  No one has been pushing back for all of these years, and these thugs are probably shocked that anyone would want to fight with them.  But to the Somali, who comes from a life of war and chaos, fighting is not that big of a deal.  

    So with that said, it is even more important than ever, to start this process of getting security on ships.  And for those ships that do not have adequate security or still choose to not use security, I really wish you all the luck with that plan. –Matt  

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Ship’s captain freed after three pirates are killed in gunfight

Published Date: 13 April 2009

By ELIZABETH A KENNEDY IN MOMBASA

AN AMERICAN ship captain was freed unharmed last night as three of the pirates who held him for days in a lifeboat off the Somali coast were killed during a navy Seals operation personally ordered by US president Barack Obama.

Captain Richard Phillips was in “imminent danger” of being killed before US snipers shot three of the four pirates. The fourth pirate was in US custody last night.

“They were pointing the AK-47s at the captain,” Vice-Admiral William Gortney, head of the US naval central command, said in a Pentagon briefing. He added that Washington had rejected negotiations with the pirates. “The United States government policy is to not negotiate,” he added.

Last night, Mr Obama said the captain had courage that was “a model for all Americans”.

He said he was pleased that Captain Phillips was rescued, adding that the US needed help from other countries to deal with the threat of piracy and to hold pirates accountable. However, Somali pirates threatened revenge last night, raising fears of future bloodshed on the high seas.

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Friday, April 10, 2009

Somalia: So the Captain Makes an Escape Attempt, So Where Was the Rescue Party?

Filed under: Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 8:22 PM

    Oh boy, talk about embarrassing?  I salute Captain Richard’s attempt at escape, but I think he was probably thinking that the Navy would have taken advantage of the situation and step in to assist.  He was probably thinking ‘where is the rescue party?’, as he was desperately trying to swim away.  

    Worse yet, it sounds like more pirates are coming in to join the party.  There should be no contest, and I say capture or kill every last one of the bastards, and end this circus.  And for Pete’s sake, have a rescue team ready to go if the Captain makes another escape attempt.  Meanwhile, the Khat chewing Somali pirates on that lifeboat are probably tweaking out right about now because they are probably out of Khat.  –Matt 

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Pirates foil U.S. captain’s escape bid

In other hijackings, French navy storms sailboat, pirates release tanker

Last Updated: Friday, April 10, 2009 | 3:15 PM ET Comments252Recommend72

CBC News

A family photo shows Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vt. Now a hostage, Phillips is the captain of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama, which was the target of a hijack attempt Wednesday by Somalian pirates off the Horn of Africa.A family photo shows Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vt. Now a hostage, Phillips is the captain of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama, which was the target of a hijack attempt Wednesday by Somalian pirates off the Horn of Africa. (Associated Press)

The American captain being held by Somalian pirates made an unsuccessful attempt to escape Friday amid reports other pirates are moving more hostage-laden ships to the scene of the standoff.

Capt. Richard Phillips jumped over the side of the small lifeboat where he has been held for two days and started swimming in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, said officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Pirates recaptured him and a U.S. navy ship patrolling nearby said they saw Phillips moving around and talking after his return to the covered lifeboat.

The incident occurred around midnight local time, said the defence officials, who believe Phillips remains unharmed.

Phillips is being held by four Somalian pirates who were part of a larger group that tried to hijack the 17,000-tonne Maersk Alabama in waters near the Horn of Africa on Wednesday.

The cargo ship’s crew thwarted the hijack attempt, but the pirates escaped in a lifeboat with Phillips. Reports say the 8.5-metre-long lifeboat has run out of fuel as U.S. naval ships move into the region.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

History: The Q Ship, and How They Could Be Used To Battle Pirates

Filed under: History,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 8:40 PM

   Ok, here is one idea for battling these pirates.  Set up some Q Ships off the coast of Somalia, with the hopes of drawing out some pirates, and either nab them or kill them.  You make the ship look juicy enough, and these pirates will go after it.  The Navy could just lease a few different boats, and cycle them through those areas, all with the intent of drawing out these guys.  We used this tactic back in the day, until the U boat commanders started catching on.  

   My thoughts on it, is that the Navy could use the concept by leasing boats from the shipping industry to do it.  If a boat gets shot up a little, or an RPG hits the big things, the Navy could totally repair the boat, as per the lease agreement.  The shipping company could also have some kind of incentive to lease out to the Navy for putting up a boat, like some kind of insurance discount, tax credit, or just pay really well for the thing.  Even the little yachts out there could be used, and the imagination is the only limit.  The point being, is that boat should look like a really juicy target for the pirates, and then strike when they get close.

   Or as a business venture, a Private Naval Company could offer their services for building a Q Ship.  They could buy boats, modify them, paint them up a little based on the customer preference, and then hand them off to the Navy.  I don’t think the Navy would want a PNC to do it all, but their is a precedent for it in a way, with the Q Ships during the WW 1 and 2 and with privateers.  I am sure privateers back in the early days did all sorts of sneaky things to capture their prey, and using a Q Ship was probably one of them (or whatever they called it back then) Bring on the Q Ships! –Matt   

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The USS Anacapa

Q-ship

     Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them. The basic ethos of every Q-ship was to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

     They were used by the British Royal Navy (RN) during World War I and by both the RN and the United States Navy during the Second World War (1939–1945), as a countermeasure against German U-boats and Japanese submarines.

     In the First Battle of the Atlantic, by 1915, Britain was in desperate need of a countermeasure against the U-boats that were strangling her sea-lanes. Convoys, which had proven effective in earlier times (and would again prove effective during World War II), were rejected by the resource-strapped Admiralty and the independent captains. The depth charges of the time were very primitive, and thus the only method of sinking a submarine was by gunfire or by ramming while on the surface. The problem was luring the U-boat to the surface.

     One solution to this problem was the creation of the Q-ship, one of the most closely-guarded secrets of the war. Their codename referred to the vessels’ home port, Queenstown, in Ireland[1]. These would be known to the Germans as a U-Boot-Falle (“U-boat trap”). The Q-ship would pose as an easy target for the U-boat but in fact carry hidden armament. A typical Q-ship would be an old-looking tramp steamer calmly sailing alone near an area where a U-boat was reported to be operating. By posing as a suitable target for the use of the U-boat’s deck gun, the Q-ship would encourage the U-boat captain to bring his vessel to the surface rather than use one of his expensive torpedoes, which were in short supply. The cargoes of the Q-ships would be wooden caskets and wood (e.g., balsa or cork) so even if torpedoed they would stay afloat, encouraging the U-boat to surface and use its gun. If necessary the crew could even stage an “abandon ship” routine. Once the U boat was in a suitable position the Q-ship would change rapidly, false panels would drop to reveal the hidden guns which would start firing. At the same time the White Ensign (Royal Navy flag) would be raised. With the element of surprise the U-boat could be quickly overwhelmed.

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Maritime Security: The Pathetic Non-Action of Today’s Shipping Industry Off the Coast of Africa

Filed under: Africa,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 8:20 PM

   If you are the owner of a shipping company, and your ship’s routes go anywhere near Africa, then you should be hiring armed security to protect your ships and crews.  To not defend your boats, is pathetic and damn near criminal.  I say criminal, because you are purposely sending people into harms way, without giving them adequate protection.  It is stupid and this is not taking care of your people.  What this is called, is putting more value on money and minimizing liability, and putting zero value on the lives of your crew, and that is criminal in my book. The security companies and consultants that continue to promote the concept of ‘no weapons’ on ships, are pathetic as well. It is terrible advice and it is not protecting these crews and boats, and it is advice that only caters to the financial goals of these companies. Ship captains need to speak up as well, because your crew is depending on you to do everything in your power to protect them.

   The only winner in this whole deal, are the pirates.  They have completely exploited this weakness in the shipping industry, and the ineffectual maritime strategy.  They are thumbing their noses at us all, and I see them continuing their wonderful business strategy.  It works, and they are making some good money–why should they stop? pffft. 

   I also believe the current maritime strategy to combat these pirates, is completely lacking.  What good is naval security, when it is 100’s of miles away?  What naval strategist thought that this was an adequate method of protection?  It would be like sending a principle out in his car in the worst areas of Iraq, with no PSD team, and telling him to call when he is in trouble. I wouldn’t do this on the roads of Iraq, and I wouldn’t do this off the coast of Somalia.  The Gulf of Aden is clearly dangerous, and certainly requires armed security on each boat.  If anything, the security on each boat could allow enough time during the fight, for a Quick Reaction Force to come to the rescue.  That’s if a naval QRF force could close the distance fast enough.  But really, how embarrassing if this is the best strategy folks can come up with?  

   Either way, both the naval strategy and the shipping company strategy is not working, and the pirates are still able to do their thing.  Put a fully armed Maritime Security Detail on each boat and make this happen.  And if there are issues with being armed while going through various country’s waters, then post a ship in international waters that can fly these MSD teams on to the boats when the time is right.    

   And these MSD teams should be adequately armed and trained to handle this stuff.  That means having something bigger than a Glock 19 or a smoke grenade on the boat.  I am talking about something that has reach and can sink a boat.  Do the math, and let your imagination go with it.  I have mentioned several weapon possibilities, and the time is over for messing around.  How many more boats and crews are we going to allow to be taken by these clowns?  Pathetic I say. –Matt 

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Somali pirates find US ship _ and a fight

By CHARLES J. HANLEY 

04/08/09

The equatorial sun had just passed high noon Wednesday when a text message flashed on reporters’ cell phones in Nairobi: 17,000-ton boxship seized 400 miles off Somali coast.

The informants, a local Kenyan seamen’s group, then added this startling note: All 20 crewmen were American.

The tropical seas off Somalia had grown treacherous with pirates in recent years. In 2008, the seaborne marauders stormed and seized a record number of commercial vessels, a giant Saudi supertanker among them, though never an American crew.

The high-seas hijackings, generating tens of millions of dollars in ransoms for the pirates, had eased off early this year, as a U.S.-led international naval force aggressively patrolled the Gulf of Aden. When they managed to mount attacks, the Somali pirates were left in ships’ wakes, foiled nine out of 10 times.

It was a lull during which Shane Murphy, a veteran of east African sea lanes as first mate of the U.S.-flagged freighter Maersk Alabama, returned home to talk to a class at his alma mater about this 21st-century scourge.

He told the Massachusetts Maritime Academy students he thought the pirates “knew better than to go against the American ships,” one recalled.

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Friday, March 27, 2009

Maritime Security: Pirate-Chasers Find Busting Brigands Is Easier Than Trying Them

Filed under: Legal News,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 7:45 PM

   This article brings up some of the legal problems of chasing pirates.  What do you do with them, if you happen to capture one?  I say we send them all to Sherif Joe’s tent city in Arizona, after we figure out a legal mechanism to try them. They would look sharp in pink. lol –Matt

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Pirate-Chasers Find Busting Brigands Is Easier Than Trying Them 

By Gregory Viscusi

March 26 (Bloomberg) — The world’s navies have gotten better at catching Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Now they have to figure out how to bring them to justice.

European Union and U.S. naval forces have captured dozens of presumed brigands in recent months after beefing up their presence in the Gulf of Aden, the world’s most dangerous waters. Most have been let go or dumped on the shores of neighboring Somalia because of a lack of evidence or confusion over what jurisdiction can prosecute them.

“International law is very clear about giving any warship from any sovereign nation the right to suppress piracy in international waters,” said John Kimball, a maritime expert at law firm Blank Rome LLP in New York. “But it’s a messy burden. They need to be processed and given trials. Not many governments are willing to do this.”

Spurred by a spike in piracy last year, about 20 warships from 15 countries are patrolling the gulf between Yemen and Somalia, and nearby waters. Pirates assaulted 165 ships last year, seizing 43 of them for ransom, with 10 boats taken in November alone. Only five ships have been seized so far this year, and only one this month.

Since last August, when international naval forces began aggressively patrolling off Somalia, 127 presumed pirates have been apprehended and then released, according to the U.S. Navy. Another 35 are awaiting trial in Europe or Kenya, and 91 were handed over to authorities of Somalia’s various entities. At least three have been killed in gun battles with French and British commandos.

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