A tentative deal to free the American container-ship captain who is being held captive by Somali pirates has been put off by a day, one of the pirates said.
| I recall an old slogan, something about 'millions for defense, not one cent in tribute'. Something like that ... |
The process was postponed because "each group suspects the other one" of reneging, said the pirate, who identifies himself only as Da'ud. Under the terms of the agreement, which he said could still fall apart at any time, Richard Phillips and the four pirates holding him would all go free, and a "small" ransom would be paid.
| I certainly hope we renege on the ransom part ... |
Somali pirates and a negotiator for the U.S. Navy came to terms earlier yesterday.
Pentagon spokesman Major Stewart Upton said he had no information about an agreement to release Phillips. The New York Times quoted Somali officials as saying negotiations had broken down after U.S. officials insisted that the pirates be arrested and a group of Somali elders representing the pirates balked at that demand.
| Our original demand was that we kill them all. I think we've bargained in 'good faith' to let them live in a prison cell ... |
Under the tentative deal to free Phillips, a U.S. helicopter would fly to Gara'ad, Somalia, a town about 600 kilometers (370 miles) north of Mogadishu that is a base of pirate activity, Da'ud said. It would pick up several Somali mediators and elders and then fly out to the lifeboat holding Phillips, Da'ud said.
Phillips and the pirates would board the helicopter also. The helicopter next would fly to a pirate ship and Phillips's captors would disembark, Da'ud said. The helicopter, with Phillips still on board, then would return to a U.S. Navy vessel, Da'ud said.
| Then we toss a weighted sack containing the ransom money into the drink, and the pirates dive to retrieve it ... |
The discussions were conducted by mobile phone between the pirate lifeboat and a female U.S. Navy negotiator aboard a warship, Da'ud said, adding that he didn't know its name.
Da'ud said earlier that he was in contact with Phillips's four captors by satellite phone. Somali tribal elders and a group of parents of the pirates have vowed to solve the standoff peacefully, East Africa-based maritime environmental group Ecoterra International said in a statement. |
