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'Biggest suspect' in ship piracy arrested
 Kenyan police have arrested the 'biggest suspect' in the recent piracy case off Somali coast which involved a 'weapon-laden' Ukrainian ship. The director of the East Africa Seafarers Assistance Programme's branch in Kenya, Andrew Mwangura, has been named the 'biggest suspect' in the case by the Kenyan police who placed him under arrest on Wednesday, a Press TV correspondent reported. Mwangura is suspected of collusion with the Somali pirates in their most recent hijacking during which they seized the 'Kenya-bound' Ukrainian ship, the Faina. The arrest reportedly follows accusations of connivance directed at Mwangura by the Faina's owner company. The police, themselves, said they suspected Mwangura having found him to be the first to inform the media outlets of the hijackings near Somalia's coastal region of Puntland where the pirates' presence has complicated naval transportation. He is, as well, said to have been at liberty to contact the Faina's crew and is said to have requested large sums of money from them. The vessel purportedly has around 100 pieces of military hardware on board including tanks, anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons. Mwangura is to be questioned regarding his allegations that the ship was heading for Sudan and not Kenya. Our correspondent, last Friday, quoted a number of Somali politicians as charging that the ship was originally taking the weapons to the pirates. While the vessels carrying WFP food aid are heavily guarded, it is hard to believe that the Kenyan authorities did not seek more protection for the consignments destined for their country knowing that the Somali pirates could pose a great threat to it, they added. The US, whose warship is keeping a close eye on the pirates' movements in the area, on the other hand, corroborates the claims that the ship was destined for Sudan. Posted by: Fred 2008-10-03 |
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