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| Africa Horn |
| Catch and release: navies and Somali pirates |
| 2009-11-29 |
| SOMALIAN pirates who are terrorising yachts and cargo ships in the Indian Ocean are being routinely allowed to go free by international naval forces despite being captured with their weapons and even holding hostages. Pirates who are seized from the skiffs by the Royal Navy and other maritime forces are pleasantly surprised to find themselves being offered life jackets, medical checks and hot food. They are then often set free, either because they have not been captured “in the act of piracy” or because of the risk that they would claim asylum if prosecuted in Europe. More than 340 suspected Somalian pirates have been captured in anti-piracy operations over the past year and subsequently released on the advice of lawyers. Some have been disembarked on African beaches because of concerns over the seaworthiness of their vessels. Julian Brazier, the Conservatives’ shipping spokesman, is to request a meeting with the European Union anti-piracy operation over the disclosure by The Sunday Times. The RFA Wave Knight, a Royal Navy support vessel, faced criticism when it was disclosed that it had failed to stop the kidnapping by pirates of Paul and Rachel Chandler from their yacht, the Lynn Rival, last month. The crew witnessed the couple, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, being seized, but did not intervene because they feared they would endanger the Chandlers’ lives. It has now emerged that this was not the first time pirates had cause to be grateful to the Wave Knight. In April the support vessel was involved in the pursuit of pirates who had attacked a merchant ship. Another Nato vessel, a Dutch ship, joined the chase and the pirates were successfully captured. Thirteen fishermen, who had been held hostage, were found on the pirate vessel, along with a cache of weapons. It seemed a coup for the Royal Navy and for Nato’s anti-piracy operation. There was just one snag — the pirates were set free. The Ministry of Defence said: “The seven suspected pirates were not captured in the act of piracy so they were released, but they were disarmed and their weapons destroyed.” A few hours after this incident, the Wave Knight received a distress call from a tanker, the Front Ardennes, which was under attack from another group of pirates. Wave Knight repelled the attack and Nato ships joined the chase. The pirates were detained and again they were released. After the operation on April 18, Captain Ian Pilling, the commanding officer of Wave Knight, said: “Our primary role is refuelling and aviation operations, but we are fully capable of conducting anti-piracy operations in and around the Horn of Africa.” He did not explain why pirates detained by the Royal Navy were allowed to go free. These are not isolated incidents. Last Wednesday a Greek warship, which is part of the EU’s anti-piracy operation, successfully captured pirates suspected of attacking a French cargo vessel. They have now been released. In June HMS Portland, a Royal Navy frigate, intercepted two skiffs with weapons that “indicated the skiffs had been involved in or were about to conduct an act of piracy”. The skiffs had 10 suspected pirates aboard and were equipped with fuel barrels, grappling hooks, rocket-propelled grenades, machineguns and ammunition. The pirates were set free because it was claimed there was a lack of evidence that they were linked to a specific pirate attack. “It is a myth that pirates have to be caught in the act of piracy if they are to be prosecuted,” said Douglas Guilfoyle, a maritime legal expert and law lecturer at University College London. He said that under the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, defendants could be prosecuted for “facilitating” piracy or being on a vessel intended for a pirate attack. United States Central Command has revealed that in anti-piracy operations off Somalia between August 2008 and September this year, 343 pirates have been disarmed and released, compared with 212 who have been sent for prosecution. None to date has been sent for prosecution in the UK. |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #2 Its RUSSIA, NOT "EUSSIA" > looks like the NET = SKYNET-MATRIX, etc. is still in need of a serious POTUS BAMMER BAILOUT!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-11-29 01:56 |
| #1 ION CHINESE MIL FORUM > RETIRED ADMIRAL SAYS EUSSIA IS LOSING ITS NAVY. Russ may have to mothball the majority of its vessels come Year 2015 or shortly after??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-11-29 01:53 |