EricMM 0 Report post Posted January 6, 2009 This thread is reminding me of the Astroboy one. *EDIT* May I add that I skimmed through and missed the comment on the previous page*/EDIT* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xavier Cromartie 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2009 SuperJerk and EricMM killed this thread pretty well. But, I would like to say a few things about the gigantic story today, the tragic drowning of six privateers after they peacefully disembarked from the Saudi oil tanker, the MV Sirius Star. Story from Daily Mail: 'Five Somali pirates drown as they squabble over their $3million ransom' Five Somali pirates drowned when a wave washed off their getaway boat as they squabbled over over how to split their $3 million ransom. The ransom had been paid to the pirates to end the world's biggest ship hijacking. The canister full of cash was parachuted onto the Sirius Star - observed by the U.S. Navy who provided these images - and the two-month ordeal of the 25 crew, including two Britons, was finally over. The pirates originally wanted more than £16 million to release the boat and its £65 million load of oil. Eventually they accepted the offer of $3million (around £2million). But as they made off they continued to row about the payout. What is all this stuff about squabbling? There are no quotes about squabbling. What would they squabble about, anyway? The negotiations were complete and the money was delivered. They were satisfied enough that they left the tanker after having held it for two months. And then they squabbled? Also, the number was apparently six dead, not five. The same story from Al Jazeera English: 'Somali pirates drown with ransom' Six members of a group of Somali pirates who hijacked and later released a Saudi-owned oil tanker are reported to have drowned along with their share of a $3m ransom. The pirates were among eight men whose boat overturned off the coast of Kenya in a storm as they left the Sirius Star following a two-month standoff that ended on Friday, a pirate and a relative of one of the dead men said. "Six of our boys perished at the sea while coming from the released Saudi supertanker," Mohamed Said told the AFP news agency. "The small boat that was carrying those killed and eight who survived was overloaded and at high speed, we have been told by the survivors. "They were afraid of a chase from outsiders [foreign naval forces] who invaded Somalia waters," he said. The group's $300,000 share of the ransom was also lost, he said. Mohamed Said was my fourth pick in the privateer draft. (His quote was, "Our aim is not to hurt the crew members or damage the ship." I had initially thought he was among the dead, and so I'm relieved that he survived. I think eighth pick Mohamed Dashishle switched over to the Faina, and so he is safe, also.[1] Still, I'm sad about those six privateers who died because of the presence of foreign naval forces in Somali waters. Finally, let's recall what former President Abdullahi had said about this situation:[2] Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was quoted in a Saudi newspaper Monday as saying that the tanker would be freed without a ransom. "It is not true that the hijackers have demanded a ransom of millions of dollars to release it," he told the Saudi newspaper Okaz. "We are confident that efforts made by tribal leaders and government officials will result soon in releasing the ship without any ransom." These statements were the opposite of true, and he knew it. Can you see why Nasr Ibn Othman described him as an "abominable Somali traitor"[3] and consistently slams the TFG? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted January 11, 2009 Does this mean there's $3 million floating around there somewhere? Hmm.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Ol' Smitty 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2009 Well, Ethiopia has completely pulled out of Somalia, and Islamic hardliners have taken Baidoa, which was basically the only place left where the provisional government had any control. The 2006 US backed Ethiopian invasion is looking stupider and stupider by the day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Ol' Smitty 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2009 Your privateers are at it again, XC. A Korean crewman aboard a ship sailing on the Indian Ocean was shot in the head by Somali pirates but survived, the AP reports. http://warisboring.com/?p=1839 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xavier Cromartie 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2009 Out of context. The North Korean vessel, mv Chong Chon Gang, was attacked 400 nautical miles off the Kenya-Somalia border, said East Africa Seafarers Assistance Programme Coordinator Andrew Mwangura. “The vessel was attacked by pirates sailing in a small skiff launched from a mother ship. They fired rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons in an attempt to force the vessel to stop,” he said. “The captain took evasive manoeuvres including altering course, increasing speed and activating the vessel’s fire hose and was able to escape, though it (ship) suffered damages,” he said Wednesday. Somali waters The injured crew member was treated on the ship and is out of danger. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyjaymzretro 0 Report post Posted April 19, 2009 XC I have read this entire thread and come to the conclusion that your whole defending of the pirates is incredibly fucking retarded. Seriously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
