Somali Pirates Threat

In a telephone interview with the Voice of America, a man identified as the spokesman of the pirate group based in the northern Puntland town of Eyl says the group wants the European Union to pressure France to release immediately six pirates captured in a recent raid.

VOA Nairobi correspondent Alisha Ryu has been following the pirates’ activity very closely. She reports the spokesman, who calls himself Bileh, says if European nations refuse to negotiate the release of his compatriots, his group will begin targeting all Europeans. He says every European hostage would be beheaded.

The captured Somali pirates were transferred to Paris after French commandos mounted a raid last week to free a French couple kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Somalia on September 2.

Last week, EU foreign ministers decided to set up a special unit to coordinate warship patrols off the coast of Somalia to protect ships from piracy.

In support of that mission, Spain deployed military aircraft to the Horn on Saturday to collect information on the movements of pirates.

This year, well-armed pirates, using powerful speedboats, have attacked more than 55 ships and private vessels sailing through the Gulf of Aden and along Somalia's east coast.

The group in Eyl, Puntland is believed to be the largest of the various pirate groups operating in Somalia. Pirates in Eyl and the factional leaders and businessmen who control them are said to have earned about $30 million this year in ransom payments. The group is currently holding about a dozen ships and their crew hostage.(See the rest of the story here)

One other note: on AFRICOMWatch today is another story on the origins of the new U.S. military command. The latest posting deals with how increasing US energy reliance on sub-Saharan African oil-exporting countries helped pave the way to expanded security cooperation between the Bush administration and select African governments.