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Farah Abdi Warsameh / AP file
Masked pirate Hassan stands near a Taiwanese fishing vessel that washed up on shore near Hobyo, Somalia, after pirates were paid a ransom and released the crew in September 2012.
Somalia’s president has offered an amnesty to young pirates amid a "drastic" fall in the number of attacks off East Africa.
In an interview with the AFP news agency Wednesday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that he wanted to offer an "alternative means of earning a living" to young Somalis caught up in the lucrative business of hijacking ships and yachts, then ransoming the passengers and crew.
"We have been negotiating with the pirates indirectly through the elders," Mohamud said. "Piracy has to end."
But he stressed the amnesty offer did not apply to senior pirates. “We are not giving them amnesty, the amnesty is for the boys,” he said
Captain Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau, which monitors piracy, said Thursday that there had been a "very drastic decrease" in the number of attacks of East Africa.
He said there had been just two attacks in the area so far this year, compared to 30 in January and February last year, a trend he described as "very, very positive."
The two recent attacks were unsuccessful and suspects in both incidents were later apprehended by international naval forces that patrol the seas off the Horn of Africa.
However, Mukundan stressed that "we cannot become complacent."
"There’s still a very high possibility that, if the guard is let down, attacks will happen," he said.
'Alternative jobs'
He said the naval presence in the area was one of the main reasons behind the drop in attacks.
Mukundan said pirates known to be guilty of attacks should be prosecuted, but added that an amnesty had worked well when it was tried in Nigeria in 2010.
"A number of militants who also doubled up as pirates and robbers did law down their weapons and look for alternative jobs," he said.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement that five Somali men had been found guilty of "engaging in piracy and committing other offenses" in an attack on the USS Ashland on April 10, 2010.
According to their defense, the men were returning home in a skiff after taking refugees from Somalia to Yemen. The lawyers said they needed help and an AK-47 was fired toward Ashland to get its attention. Ashland returned fire, killing one and setting the skiff on fire.
"These men were pirates — plain and simple," U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride said in the statement. "They attacked a ship hoping to hold it ransom for millions of dollars. Few crimes are older than piracy on the high seas, and today’s verdict shows that the United States takes it very seriously."
George Venizelos, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, said the five men were "headed where they belong: to federal prison."
"Let this send a clear message of deterrence to anyone who threatens those who traverse the high seas," he said.
The five, who face life in prison, are due to be sentenced in July.
Related:
Somali pirate kingpin says he's giving up hijacking; UN skeptical
World sea piracy falls to lowest level since 2008
Hostages freed by Somali pirates after nearly 3 years in captivity
Leave a Comment:
Amnesty, Hell! Kill all the pirates! By the way, the fishing vessel would look cool in my back pasture -- except for the smell, I imagine.
Yep, Amnesty !!
Next stop: Mexican side of the border waiting for the next MULE supervisor.
The Muslim president wants to give amnesty to the Muslim Pirates who terrorized infidels.
Why would this surprise any one posting here?
To him they are more like the Salvation Army guys collecting coins in front of the Mall.
They were only killing non muslims.
I wonder how much we are paying this guy a year. 1 maybe 2 billion?
I would like to go to Ethiopia. It looks like a fascinating place.
Right on the front lines in the holy war.
the real pirate were the commercial fishing vessels who depleted this countries natural resorces and left the citizens with little choice.
Travalar; what the hell are you smoking and drinking at the same time. Amnesty for thieves, terrorist and killers?? If you feel that sorry for them then, PLEASE, move in with them and have a good life - chuckle, chuckle, chuckle!!!!
In any Amnesty deal the Pirates should be forced to publically renounce Islam.
Then we will see if Islam is a peace loving religion.
If they make it out of the capital alive they have amnesty.
"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that he wanted to offer an "alternative means of earning a living" to young Somalis caught up in the lucrative business of hijacking ships and yachts, then ransoming the passengers and crew"
President is one Mohamud and most pirates are Mohammeds!
Both can't do much useful except doing some dramas.
So President Mohamud is giving amnesty to younger Mohammeds!
Sounds like an updated version of the Lost Boys of Sudan and they immigrated to the US.
If the "junior"pirates are given an opportunity, please keep them in Somalia.
King Putt says BOW 2 ME Jax.
Unlike some politicians, I bow to no one Bluto!
HAGD
Hagard?
There are many lost boys in the US from Muslim basket case nations like Somalia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and some more are in the line!!!
"Mukundan said pirates known to be guilty of attacks should be prosecuted, but added that an amnesty had worked well when it was tried in Nigeria in 2010."
Then there idiots like Mukundan too, who don't know what they are talking.
Hope he too does not line up to be in the US!
Bluto
No, Have A Good Day
You to Jax.
the only amnesty they should get is if they are not known to the authorities and stop, otherwise if caught, hung from the yardarm of the ship that catches them in the act...regardless of their age...
there are some criminal acts that should have a take no prisoners attitude...piracy is one of them
and if that piracy is done by government licensed vessels like they did to the fishing off the shores of this country. they turned to piracy because we left them very little options.
would you steal a loaf of bread to feed your family?
ret, I can understand wanting to hang pirates who are of adult age but some of these kids are in their teens. There's not too many countries who would hang a young teenager besides Iran. I hope this amnesty helps impoverished young men change their lives. It's better than not doing anything, I guess. When you are starving to death with no help in sight, I guess people will resort to anything. Feel sorry for young people with no future in sight in general.
as I said, if they stop and are not caught in the act...if you are boarding my ship with an AK and are captured (killed more like it), you get hung... regardless of age
so I would guess you are ok with illegal here...they are only stealing bread (jobs, benefits) to feed their families...
ret it is what it is , i don't agree with it , but i do see why they are doing it.
and they should be made to eat pork such that their Allah will treat them well in heaven!
What a religion and what a bunch of followers!
The U.S. Navy should treat them like they treat the ships they attack and this may stop them. You know From the halls of mountazma to the shores of tripoli!!!!
Cringe. That's "Halls of Montezuma"...
Montezuma was the Mexican West Point that was overrun while defended by children....but why ruin a good myth?
Troll much??
No kidding, and all this time I thought Montezuma was a revenge in the form of dysentery.
nonpar, you should read the whole story, and not believe the lies of the 'progressive' anti american profs in college. spreading lies to further an idea only makes you look uneducated and foolish. there were six cadets who refused the retreat order and were killed. i suppose you would have let them kill you if you were there? didn't think so.
all in all thought a battle against 6 armed people
lets write a song.
battle of ruby ridge maybe.
Instead of amnesty, how about throwing them in the water after capture, them toss in some chum, and leave. The sharks will take care of the rest....
Good idea asIseeit12, but it has already been throught of. In 2010, the Russians rescued a hijacked ship in the Indian Ocean and freed the hostages. The, instead of executing the pirates, they set them adrift, never to be seen or heard from again. Workable, and cost effective.
American ships then picked them up and made them citizens complete with DLs and SS/welfare and all they had to do was promise to vote democrap
Amnesty is no more than a Government's way of passing the buck, for its politician's failures, to enforce the law.
Make them Walk the Plank. If they want to act like sailors of the 17th through 19 centuries, they should be treated as such. By the way, once they have those AK-47s in their hands, they are no longer "boys." If they were decent, they would try to find other work in the first place. Don't give me they can't find legitimate jobs. Only the worst of the worst turn to crime; the circumstances are not relevant.
Uneducated teenage gunman. I guess they will relocate to Chicago and then become terrorists
Probably work for ACORN, become a "community organizer", and then maybe even the U.S. president. Sound crazy????
Amnesty! B.S. Let's start rewarding the thieves with their own laws! Take a life, lose a life. Steal a loaf of bread lose a hand so that the hand will never again steal. Seriously, I am sick to death of the government going soft on terrorists and rasing hell on it's on citizens!
If they want to act like sailors of the 17th through 19 centuries, they should be treated as such. By the way, once they have those AK-47s in their hands, they are no longer "boys."
I love the way you think John!
THIS WONT CHANGE ANYTHING! They will continue to pirate vessels, small size boats as soon as they are unleashed!
The increased patrolling of this area by the Navies of the World (not just the U.S.) is directly responsible for the decrease in pirate attacks. If that patrolling stops, then the attacks will increase. Apparently the pirates have figured it out that it is too difficult for them to profit from this anymore. They still may go after the smaller ships. I say blow them out of the water and save the taxpayers some money.
"He said the naval presence in the area was one of the main reasons behind the drop in attacks" Not due to policy or amnesty - Go Navy!! When out gunned they go home - hummm ....
'I have an AK47. I think I'll shoot at that U.S. warship.' Last words of a Somali pirate, "Hey watch this".
I'll bet even money that our State Department will end up giving green cards to some of the youthful pirates.
Somalia has a PRESIDENT??!! Where has he been hiding all this time?
LOL
If you are president of Somalia, you MUST hide.
The best amnesty for the pirates would be a short walk off 'the plank' in the middle of shark infested waters..............gum by.
The Russians have an effective humane way of dealing with pirates. Using the pirates boat they lash the pirates to the deck of their boat. Set the pirate boat ablaze and cast it adrift. Its humane because the water will put out the flames as it sinks.
Why not amnesty? Next stop... US citizenship courtesy of the obama admin. Come on in guys! Here's a job, free healthcare, free food, free cell phones, and free electric car, free housing, etc. Just sit back and relax and just remember to vote democrat early and often.
It's good to be a criminal these days. The rewards are massive. It's very bad to be a hard-working taxpayer, business ower, job creator or God forbid, wealthy. Then you are the scum of the earth.
As a small businees owner/operator, our business has been great and nothing to do with gvm't contracts. My/our personal retirement portfolio is doing great, what happened to yours??
I remember the Bush days when my personal health care premiums rose by double digits every year he was in office, and don't forget the 'doughnut hole' for prescriptions.....that boy cost me alot of money.
DKL, is your business making mrs. obama's dresses or her hairsylist? Perhaps you sell jet fuel to AF1 or michelle's jet. Oh, I know, you are bo's personal dog groomer. Yeah, I'm sure your biz is through the roof with the welfare admin ruling things. Don't get sick though. You might not be approved for treatment from the imperial "health" panels, or you might have to wait several months for an aspirin.
@ No Bama...............You 'missed' the pirate boat.......I have nothing to do with any gvm't. work......totally private enterprise, your kind of mantra....the 'American way'. My healthcare service has been just fine. Now time to get back to work making money.
Good luck DKL. How does someone get into the community organizing biz anyway?
No amnesty, for no one. Mexican citizens need to live in Mexico.
Someone forgot to actually read the article. This has nothing to do with Mexico or the U.S. This is about Somali pirates.
Pure Genius...and we wonder why certain segments of the U.S. are going down the @!$%#ter.
You don't see the common thread?
Amnesty for criminals is the same as amnesty for criminals.
Obtuse.
The Muslim President wants to give amnesty to the Muslim pirates for killing infidels.
Why does this surprise anyone?
Amnesty hell! Death, swift and quick! Stop molly coddling these criminals!
I believe he wants to give amnesty to the young boys who were maybe coerced into piracy by older family members. In this case I am all for it. Maybe I am just thinking too positive.
They all joined so they could get paid killing infidels.
I don't see any reason to take the penalty out of pirating. That would encourage more kids to join.
They made their beds. Now that they are loosing, they don't want to be punished.
Amnesty, did they have amnesty for those that they terrorized. I understand that they're young boys, but they should never have committed crimes of piracy. I'm sure that the youth of that nation is given little hope of any future, but unless he forces them to get an education and become productive citizens of that country, then I am totally against amnesty.
The pirates apparently have no incentive to stop! The United Nations need to declare a bounty on pirates. That would pretty much put a stop to those terroists!
I create a small business opportunity.
Blutowski,,,,,,,,,,, Pirate Hunter.
It would create.
Hate my new Hp desktop.
There already is a bounty on Somali pirates. Blutowski, why don't you try to collect it, sounds like you have enough wind to blow your sail boat right over there.
http://english.alshahid.net/archives/29247
They want a get out of jail free card because they have been getting their asses kicked.
If they were still getting paid they would be more than happy to chop off infidel heads.
In the amnesty deal would they renounce Islam?
Why would they renounce their faith. It is an predominantly Islam country. Some of the comments on this board are disgusting.
They were killing for Islam. Why give them amnesty if they still believe in killing people for their religion?
It is their country, not ours, it is their president, not ours, it is their governments decision...not yours.
So they might get life in prison in the US? I would think that would be a real cushy lifestyle change for them. No more dried goat meat and rancid water to drink. No more guns to clean. And they can be a change of pace for Bubba or Gomer in the slamma. Some fresh meat, so to speak......