NATO stops attack by Somali pirates
By Matthew Clark | Staff writer 04.19.09
A Canadian warship and NATO helicopters foiled a pirate attack on a Norwegian tanker on Sunday, says the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
American forces also pursued pirates who fired rocket-propelled grenades at the 80,000-tonne MV Front Ardenne, reports BBC.
A spokesman aboard the Canadian warship, the Winnipeg, Michael McWhinnie, said they had switched off all lights to hunt the fleeing pirates through the night.
“We blocked their path. We were faster and surprisingly more manoeuvrable than the pirate skiff,” Mr McWhinnie told Reuters news agency.
The Canadians already freed the pirates they captured, because they could not be prosecuted under Canadian law. This comes one day after Dutch commandos serving with NATO freed 20 pirate captives from Yemen. In fact, as the Monitor wrote recently, because of the difficulty of bringing them to justice, most countries just release captured pirates.
In another incident on Saturday, Somali pirates seized a Belgian ship and its 10 crew, including seven Europeans.
Western security forces have stepped up their anti-piracy operations near Somalia in recent days, as displayed by last week’s dramatic rescue of captured American ship captain Richard Phillips. US Navy Seal snipers shot and killed pirates holding Mr. Phillips in a lifeboat five days after Phillips had given himself up as a hostage so his 19-member crew could be freed.
Phillips returned to a hero’s welcome in Burlington, Vt. Friday.
More than 80 vessels have been attacked off Somalia’s coast this year, 19 of them seized with the help of rocket launchers and automatic weapons, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
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3. Art Rudnick | 04.19.09
Are’nt there any laws relating to piracy on the high seas? It just seems ludicrous that there are no international laws concerning this. If they can’t be brought to a court of law, than they should be blown out of the water as self-defense.
4. Gary | 04.19.09
It is time for the international community to adapt a policy on the prosecution of pirates. Simply comfiscating their boats and weapons before releasing is hardly a deterrent against continued piracy. Isn’t it a reasonable expectation that the waters in which one sails are safe from predation by others?
5. Joelle Holford | 04.19.09
This is insane !!!!! Why can not the United Nations take pirates and lock them up. Letting them go for another day is outrages.
6. Joe in Pennsylvania; USA | 04.19.09
Why the heck can’t we just get some international laws passed in order to address this issue? We just let 30 people go who take over a ship by force? Give me a break… On land, thats called kidnapping… In just about every country… Yet at sea, they go free… Time for NATO to create some international sea laws… Get these scum off the seas…
Joe
7. Bert | 04.19.09
“…because of the difficulty of bringing them to justice, most countries just release captured pirates….”
This is a joke,…….right…………
8. Eric P. | 04.19.09
This section disturbs me greatly:
“The Canadians already freed the pirates they captured, because they could not be persecuted under Canadian law. This comes one day after Dutch commandos serving with NATO freed 20 pirate captives from Yemen. In fact, as the Monitor wrote recently, because of the difficulty of bringing them to justice, most countries just release captured pirates.”
So they ARE completely immune from justice. Fantastic! Capture and release so they can go shoot RPG’s at other ships, endanger more lives and demand more ransom. That’s absolutely brilliant.
This is a classic example of the law protecting BAD people while also endangering the lives of GOOD people. The legal system has failed here. Pirates are terrorists and need to be dealt with as such. I’m certain that if drop them in the ocean 300km off the coast after they are captured, eventually they’ll get the message!
9. Felipe Carlos | 04.19.09
What a shame, captured and then released. I am sure they will not afraid of any western or NATO warships.
10. Charles | 04.19.09
It is a shame, for under maritime law there would be some problem. In fact under common law, every effort would be to identify the men and see if other crimes are pending. This idea that you are playing cops and robbers as little children do. Really concerns me! When you wake up to their knife at your throat one day. Maybe then you will look at what rights you have to try them in a court of law.
12. Marvin Caldwell-Barr | 04.19.09
They catch the pirates in the act, then release them because of “the difficulty of bringing them to justice”. It seems to me that the deck is stacked in favour of the pirates. There is no deterent. The pirates might as well just continue to intercept ships on the high seas.
What’s wrong with blowing the pirates out of the water when they catch them in the act?
13. MikeDel | 04.19.09
Between the Canadians and the Dutch, they have eliminated all consequences that the pirates might face. They have shown that the worst case scenario is detention for a few hours. School kids get that much for throwing spitballs. In this light, maybe I can get a job with the pirates. Good pay, short hours, no taxes, no consequences for one’s behavior, where is the downside?
14. Kurt | 04.19.09
This kind of action reminds me of a bumper sticker I see all the time. “CATCH AND RELEASE, IT WILL GROW ON YOU” Now the Somali pirates don’t fear getting caught because they know they are going to get released without harm. When is the world going to start doing what they should. Make these guys Shark bait.
15. Mike.Illinois | 04.19.09
Pirate “catch-and-release” seems to be a foolish policy. Hold them in an EU Court prison and bargain for the release of the some 200 hostages, the ships and ransom money paid, that the pirates now hold .. apply pressure on their families, their tribe, their government to win release .. right now, the Pirates win every time and it is time to change that.
16. Nguyen | 04.19.09
Releasing pirates after pursuing them all night? Why bother doing the pursuing, at tax-payers’ expenses? That sends the message that pirates can continue their piracy with impunity.
17. Tom Williams | 04.19.09
Releasing captured pirates because of the difficulty bringing them to justice? What rubbish! Isn’t there standing international law pertaining to piracy and the ability to meet out immediate justice? I say send the multi-billion dollar a day navy’s away and send in the Blackwaters to provide security like the caravans of old and with the recognized authority to mete out immediate justice. If people had the backbone I would be willing to bet title to my home we would see Somali pirates with a sudden interest in a career in agriculture.
18. Steve | 04.19.09
As a Canadian living in Hong Kong, I’m very proud of the fact that the HCMS Winnipeg successfully deterred this attack on a Norwegian ship, but this incident only underlines the necessity of a ‘capture-and-detain’ mechanism under international law to prevent these pirates from simply repeating their piracy. Maybe Gitmo should be filled with Somali pirates instead of Al-Qaida operatives…?
19. Dan Wolaver | 04.20.09
At last a concerted effort to thwart the pirates! The next shoe needed to be dropped regarding piracy seems to be international law allowing their arrest and prosecution (”persecution”?). Are there moves toward this? What body frames such laws?
21. Bess | 04.20.09
What’s the reason in chasing. Guys it’s a waste of effort just let them do their business of piracy. You are wasting your time, money and effort.
22. Fred | 04.20.09
I am uncertain of all the details but the US Navy of the early 1800s did not have authority from Congress to punish Barbary pirates who preyed on US shipping. US captains resported to a simple (unofficial) solution, turn caputured pirates over to the English navy, who promptly hanged them.
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1. JPS | 04.19.09
Remember the good old days, when pirates were not simply “freed”, but instead had to walk the plank?
We’re much to cultured and civilized for that sort of barbarism these days. Instead, we release them, without even a slap on the wrist, and wonder why they’re right back at the job of piracy the following day.
It’s a good time to be a pirate.