Feral Jundi

Monday, December 14, 2009

Maritime Security: Pirate Attacks Trigger Armed Guard Coverage

Filed under: Maritime Security — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 9:57 AM

   Hell, you know what that means when the insurance companies start jumping all over this?  They are reading the Tea Leaves and getting the picture that security contractors or ‘marine contractors’ on boats, armed with the necessary tools and skills to defeat these thugs, are the way to go.

   I also want to commend Zack Phillips for writing such a well researched little article.  There is a lot of meat in this thing, and I highly recommend checking out some of the maritime security companies he mentioned.  You might be able to get a job with them, by doing a little Google Fu. –Matt

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Pirate attacks trigger armed guard coverage

Programs protect shipowners against increased liability risk

Dec. 13, 2009

Zack Phillips

Insurers and brokers have begun to offer products that cover or facilitate the use of armed security guards onboard ships to defend against piracy.

But despite the persistence of pirate attacks, the shipping industry remains largely reluctant to put firearms on vessels, observers say.

Shipowners and their underwriters typically have been wary of arming merchant ships, due to a host of potential legal, logistical and safety problems. But in recent months, as pirates off the coast of Somalia have hijacked several ships and attacked scores of others, some insurance products have emerged that would cover the use of armed security personnel to ward off pirates.

“The attitude has changed but they never had this type of scenario before,” said Lars Gustafson, a New York-based senior vp at Marsh Inc.

Despite an international flotilla of naval ships shepherding merchant ships through safe-travel corridors, pirates off the coast of Somalia have hijacked 31 ships in 2009 and attacked 172, compared with 42 hijackings and 111 attacks in 2008, according to figures from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Senior officers in the U.S. and British navies separately have encouraged ship owners to consider the use of armed security personnel on board. The Danish shipping giant Clipper Group announced in November it was carrying up to six Russian marines aboard some of its ships transiting the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.

(more…)

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Somalia: P.M. Calls for Plan Like U.S. Afghan Strategy

Filed under: Somalia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 6:53 AM

     You know, this PM has a point.  We are investing a lot of troops and resources to Afghanistan, but there are other centers of gravity for the enemy that we should be focusing on.  One of them is Somalia, and the enemy is gaining momentum there as well. Money and manpower issues come to mind as to why we are not ‘surging’ into Somalia.

   He also mentioned another fantastic point.  For the amount of money we are spending on all of these massive navies to go after small little boats with pirates in them, we could certainly re-evaluate that process and use that money for a better return on investment.

   We could instead force the shipping industry to provide their own security, and then the costs could easily be passed down to the companies, and then to the consumer. It is already happening like that, but instead of security costs, the shipping companies are having to pay for increased insurance do to kidnappings.  I say lower the kidnapping potential by increasing security on the boats. Invest in security, and not insane insurance costs that only go up as the pirates capture more boats.  That makes economic sense.

    Also minimize the naval presence out there, and focus on being a quick reaction force or QRF to all these security contractors on boats.  The taxpayers of all the countries are paying for these massive naval operations that are not effective. It’s like using elephants to kill mice.

    Thanks to David who sent me the article below this one, this only strengthens the point that large navies are not that effective at stopping all of these small scale attacks.  They cannot be every where and at all times.  But security on boats can be on scene at the right time, and every time.  The monopoly on the application of the use of force, must be loosened, and there must be an effort to allow and even encourage the hardening of these boats.

   But back to the money.  Just imagine if instead of spending millions every day for all of these navies, to instead put that down on a land based strategy with some teeth?  It could happen, but it will take a re-thinking of the proper allocation of money and manpower for this to take place.  It would also take political will to communicate why this needs to happen. –Matt

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Somali PM Calls for Plan Like US Afghan Strategy

05 December 2009

VOA News

In a letter published Saturday in the British newspaper ‘The Times,’ Omar Sharmarke said Obama’s plan for Afghanistan, announced in a speech Tuesday, ‘marks a sea change in international support to troubled countries.’

Somalia’s prime minister is asking for U.S. President Barack Obama’s vision for Afghanistan to be applied to his country.In a letter published Saturday in the British newspaper The Times, Omar Sharmarke said Obama’s plan for Afghanistan, announced in a speech Tuesday, “marks a sea change in international support to troubled countries.”Prime Minister Sharmarke said Somalia needs similar aid, to restore an effective government and train security forces, to police Somalia’s waters to ensure only Somalis profit from the fish, oil, and gas, and to launch a vocational training program for young people. (more…)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Quotes: Some Words About The Somali Pirate Stock Exchange

Filed under: Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 10:47 AM

   Now this is innovative, and thanks to Doug for sending me this.  Any bets that Al Qaeda or Al Shabaab will be taking part in this stock exchange? –Matt

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‘”Four months ago, during the monsoon rains, we decided to set up this stock exchange. We started with 15 ‘maritime companies’ and now we are hosting 72. Ten of them have so far been successful at hijacking,” Mohammed said.  ‘The shares are open to all and everybody can take part, whether personally at sea or on land by providing cash, weapons or useful materials … we’ve made piracy a community activity… “Let the anti-piracy navies continue their search for us. We have no worries because our motto for the job is ‘do or die’.” Piracy investor Sahra Ibrahim, a 22-year-old divorcee, was lined up with others waiting for her cut of a ransom pay-out after one of the gangs freed a Spanish tuna fishing vessel. “I am waiting for my share after I contributed a rocket-propelled grenade for the operation,” she said, adding that she got the weapon from her ex-husband in alimony. “I am really happy and lucky. I have made $75,000 in only 38 days since I joined the ‘company’.” -from this article here.

Al Qaeda: Jihadist Privateers and The New Holy War Business Model

Filed under: Al Qaeda,Maritime Security,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 8:30 AM

A senior Saudi Arabian al Qaeda operative has called on Somali jihadists to step up their attacks on “crusader” forces at sea in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, and on land in neighboring Djibouti, which hosts France’s largest military base in Africa. 

“To our steadfast brethren in Somalia, take caution and prepare yourselves,” Sa’id Ali Jabir Al Khathim Al Shihri (aka Abu Sufian al-Azdi) says in a new audiotape acquired by CBS News. “Increase your strikes against the crusaders at sea and in Djibouti.”  

*****

    That’s right, make money and fight holy war!  Now that is the kind of Jihad that sells itself. lol

    You know, it doesn’t take a counter-terror expert or an economist to realize that eventually the enemy will figure out that piracy is an excellent business model.  Think of it.  They could disrupt world economies, control large multi-ton vessels that can easily be used as weapons of mass destruction (oil and chemical tankers, etc.), terrorize western ‘non-believer’ crews and even kill them, and on top of that, they can make money in the process off of selling the loot or ransom. Not to mention that Al Qaeda and company have no laws to follow, and no borders to respect. The only rules they abide by, are the ones that will increase their odds of winning their war against the Infidels.

     Matter of fact, I can see an entire Jihadist industry developing out of this piracy deal. It happened in the early beginnings of U.S. history, why wouldn’t these guys do it?  So here come the Jihadist Privateers I guess, because if this activity is sanctioned by the enemy, then in their eyes it is not piracy, but privateering.

     These donors that keep giving money to Islamic extremists to wage holy war will eventually realize that they could turn into investors of the Jihadist Privateers, and make some money.  Much like our early privateers in the US, or the pirates off the coast of Somalia, these guys could actually start making money off the Jihad.  The business model is there, and it is a proven method that has made the Somalis millions.  Why wouldn’t the booger eaters take advantage of that?

     Same thing with the drug trade?  I could easily see Al Qaeda looking at the drug business as acceptable for their jihad against the west.  They could say they are only selling drugs to westerners, and only a truly devout muslim would not use those drugs. So that would make it ok, in the crude logic of the jihadist.

   Counterfeiting?  Why not.  How else would they be able to finance the boats or weapons for their privateers, or purchase the aircraft for transporting the drugs? I am telling you, the next level of Jihad, is killing infidels and making money in the process.  They could still martyr themselves by crashing a boat into some country’s port city, but hey, if they could make some money off of Jihad to send back home before being martyred, now that is something.

   And what is really scary, is the concept of open source piracy.  That means other supporters of Jihad, will look at this act as not piracy, but as a business venture in the name of Allah, and terrorize western shipping throughout the world’s oceans. If you have a boat and an AK 47, you are in business. You don’t have to go to Afghanistan to train to be a pirate.  All a fellow has to do, is read and watch what the Somalis are doing, and copy it. Think Ft. Hood, but on the high seas. Something to think about and watch over the coming months and years.  The war is evolving. –Matt

*Be sure to read all of the stories posted below.  There is stuff on AQ involved piracy, drug trade, and counterfeit operations. The final story is about Somali pirates luring in investors for future operations.

Also check out Dr. Walid Phares article on Jihad Corsairs or Qursaans (arabic for corsair) here.

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Al Qaeda Urges Somalis To Attack Ships

April 16, 2009

Posted by Khaled Wassef

A senior Saudi Arabian al Qaeda operative has called on Somali jihadists to step up their attacks on “crusader” forces at sea in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, and on land in neighboring Djibouti, which hosts France’s largest military base in Africa.

“To our steadfast brethren in Somalia, take caution and prepare yourselves,” Sa’id Ali Jabir Al Khathim Al Shihri (aka Abu Sufian al-Azdi) says in a new audiotape acquired by CBS News. “Increase your strikes against the crusaders at sea and in Djibouti.”

Shihri warns Somali militants against a conspiracy led by “the crusaders, the Jews and traitor Arab rulers,” to put an end to the Muslim extremists’ progress in Somalia.

(more…)

Monday, November 30, 2009

Maritime Security: Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Going to U.S.

Filed under: Maritime Security,Saudi Arabia,Somalia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 8:05 AM

   This is not good.  This is the kind of nightmare scenario that can go a number of ways.  What if Al Qaeda or similar group, provides a better offer for the tanker than the owners of the boat or goods?  For all we know, these guys are working with Al Shabaab and have something planned.  You just don’t know, but now that the vessel is under the control of these pirates, they have all the power.  And the shipping company is at fault for not properly securing this vessel.

   I am also starting to get a headache from reading Roger Middleton’s crap assessments on shipping security.  Who is this guy, and why does the media continue to give him a voice on this matter?  For all we know, this shipping company followed the pathetic advice of this dork, and look what happened?  Where is the voice of reason here?

    Now tactically speaking, yeah, RPGs might ignite some kind of flammables in an attack, but the key to good security is to not even allow RPG armed pirates to get that close.  With the proper surveillance systems in place, and a locked on and properly staffed security detail, I can guarantee that a tanker like this will not be taken again.  Especially if this team is using weapons that will give them stand off distance.  The basic math here is use weapons that reach out farther and do more damage than what the pirates use.  Glock pistols will not do the trick.  Long guns or a Bushmaster Cannon are what I am talking about.  Or we can allow pirates who could be backed by terrorists, to take oil tankers or chemical tankers, and use them for whatever purpose.  And with the case of this tanker, the pirates have all the power right now, all because the ship did not have the means to protect itself.

   Another idea to protect a ship like this, is to use escort ships to draw fire away from the tanker. This would be expensive, but doable.  A pirate will fire on a tanker or chemical tanker regardless, all with the idea of trying to terrorize and control the vessel.  If you can draw the fire of the pirates away from the tanker, and take the battle zone away from that flammable vessel, then that is another idea.  I will say this again, and in stark contrast to what Roger has to say.  Pirates only understand one thing out on the high seas, and that is the rule of force. –Matt

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Somali pirates hijack oil tanker going to US

By MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED

Monday, November 30, 2009

NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates seized a tanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to the United States in the increasingly dangerous waters off East Africa, an official said Monday, an attack that could pose a huge environmental or security threat to the region.

The Greece-flagged Maran Centaurus was hijacked Sunday about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) off the coast of Somalia, said Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force. Harbour said it originated from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and was destined for the United States. The ship has 28 crew members on board, he said.

The shipping intelligence company Lloyd’s List said the Maran Centaurus is a “very large crude carrier, with a capacity of over 300,000 tons.” Officials could not immediately say how many barrels of oil were on board, but its value would be in the millions of dollars.

Pirates have increased attacks on vessels off East Africa for the millions in ransom that can be had. Though pirates have successfully hijacked dozens of vessels the last several years, Sunday’s attack appears to be only the second ever on an oil tanker.

The hijacking of a tanker increases worries that the vessel could crash, be run aground or be involved in a firefight, said Roger Middleton, a piracy expert at London-based think tank Chatham House.

Pirates typically use guns and rocket-propelled grenades in their attacks, and some vessels now carry private security guards, but Middleton said oil tankers do not.

(more…)

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