News

25-03-2010

EU force frees Somali 'pirates'

BBC News - The EU's naval force has freed six Somali pirate suspects, a day after they were captured trying to hijack a vessel off the East African coast.
Cmdr John Harbour said the men had to be released because the crew of the cargo vessel refused to give evidence.
The suspected pirates were allegedly part of a gang who attacked the Panamanian-flagged ship MV Almezaan.
Security guards on board the ship opened fire, killing one of the pirates before an EU warship arrived.
It is believed that this is the first time that private security guards on board a ship have killed a pirate during the spate of attacks off the Somali coast in recent years.
It has sparked a debate about whether more ships should travel with guards. Some say it might encourage pirates to use more violence, while others say it would help deter attacks.
"It was a clear-cut case - we intercepted the pirates, we destroyed their mother-ship and we went on board the cargo ship to get statements," Cmdr Harbour told the BBC.
"But we had to release them because the master of the ship would not testify."