Le Male
09-16-2008, 08:20 AM
French commandos free hostages off Somalia
ESTELLE SHIRBON
Reuters
September 16, 2008 at 5:52 AM EDT
PARIS — French commandos stormed a sailboat to free two French tourists who were being held for ransom by heavily-armed Somali pirates, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Tuesday.
One pirate was killed and six others taken prisoner in the pre-dawn assault by some 30 troops. The freed hostages and the captured pirates were put on a French navy vessel sailing towards Djibouti, where France has an army base.
“This operation ... is a warning to all those engaged in this criminal activity. France will not accept that crime pays,” Mr. Sarkozy said after the operation.
Somali pirates have hijacked more than 30 ships so far this year, making the shipping lanes in the busy Gulf of Aden the most dangerous in the world.
Hours after the French attack, Somali gunmen hijacked an oil or chemical tanker believed to be Hong Kong-owned, a maritime official said.
It was the second time this year that French troops had acted against Somali pirates. In April, French commandos captured six of them shortly after a ransom had been paid for the release of a French yacht and its 30-strong crew.
The couple freed on Tuesday were seized on Sept. 2 by gunmen who had demanded a ransom of more than $1.4-million and the release of the pirates captured in April.
Mr. Sarkozy said the freed hostages, who had been taking a sailing boat from Australia to France, were in good health.
He said he had ordered the assault on their boat when it became clear the pirates were sailing it to Eyl, a lawless former fishing outpost now used by gangs.
Mr. Sarkozy said any rescue attempt from Eyl would have been too dangerous and the hostages could have been held for months.
“These are not isolated cases but a fully fledged criminal industry. This industry endangers our fundamental rights, freedom of movement and of international trade,” Mr. Sarkozy said.
“The world must not remain indifferent or passive. I call on other countries to take their responsibilities as France has done twice.”
He thanked Germany and Malaysia for supporting Tuesday's raid, but declined to explain how they had helped.
Mr. Sarkozy said a French naval vessel would start escorting ships in the Gulf of Aden, but that was not enough.
“I am calling on the entire international community to mobilise and take part in the security of maritime traffic and the protection of people in the Gulf of Aden,” he said.
“France will take an initiative in that sense at the United Nations Security Council,” he said, giving no further details.
Mr. Sarkozy said the six captured pirates would be brought back to France. He said he was prepared to return them to Somalia on condition he had guarantees they would be tried and punished.
Most Somali pirates are based in the lawless, semi-autonomous northern region of Puntland.
Abdulqadir Muse Yusuf, Puntland's assistant fisheries minister, told Reuters the French raid took place on the coast about 700 kilometres southwest of Bosasso.
On Sunday, pirates fired rockets at a French tuna fishing boat in international waters in the Indian Ocean, 400 nautical miles off the Somali coast.
France has demanded that the European Union move to protect boats sailing in the Indian Ocean.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080916.wfranrescue0916/BNStory/International/home
ESTELLE SHIRBON
Reuters
September 16, 2008 at 5:52 AM EDT
PARIS — French commandos stormed a sailboat to free two French tourists who were being held for ransom by heavily-armed Somali pirates, President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Tuesday.
One pirate was killed and six others taken prisoner in the pre-dawn assault by some 30 troops. The freed hostages and the captured pirates were put on a French navy vessel sailing towards Djibouti, where France has an army base.
“This operation ... is a warning to all those engaged in this criminal activity. France will not accept that crime pays,” Mr. Sarkozy said after the operation.
Somali pirates have hijacked more than 30 ships so far this year, making the shipping lanes in the busy Gulf of Aden the most dangerous in the world.
Hours after the French attack, Somali gunmen hijacked an oil or chemical tanker believed to be Hong Kong-owned, a maritime official said.
It was the second time this year that French troops had acted against Somali pirates. In April, French commandos captured six of them shortly after a ransom had been paid for the release of a French yacht and its 30-strong crew.
The couple freed on Tuesday were seized on Sept. 2 by gunmen who had demanded a ransom of more than $1.4-million and the release of the pirates captured in April.
Mr. Sarkozy said the freed hostages, who had been taking a sailing boat from Australia to France, were in good health.
He said he had ordered the assault on their boat when it became clear the pirates were sailing it to Eyl, a lawless former fishing outpost now used by gangs.
Mr. Sarkozy said any rescue attempt from Eyl would have been too dangerous and the hostages could have been held for months.
“These are not isolated cases but a fully fledged criminal industry. This industry endangers our fundamental rights, freedom of movement and of international trade,” Mr. Sarkozy said.
“The world must not remain indifferent or passive. I call on other countries to take their responsibilities as France has done twice.”
He thanked Germany and Malaysia for supporting Tuesday's raid, but declined to explain how they had helped.
Mr. Sarkozy said a French naval vessel would start escorting ships in the Gulf of Aden, but that was not enough.
“I am calling on the entire international community to mobilise and take part in the security of maritime traffic and the protection of people in the Gulf of Aden,” he said.
“France will take an initiative in that sense at the United Nations Security Council,” he said, giving no further details.
Mr. Sarkozy said the six captured pirates would be brought back to France. He said he was prepared to return them to Somalia on condition he had guarantees they would be tried and punished.
Most Somali pirates are based in the lawless, semi-autonomous northern region of Puntland.
Abdulqadir Muse Yusuf, Puntland's assistant fisheries minister, told Reuters the French raid took place on the coast about 700 kilometres southwest of Bosasso.
On Sunday, pirates fired rockets at a French tuna fishing boat in international waters in the Indian Ocean, 400 nautical miles off the Somali coast.
France has demanded that the European Union move to protect boats sailing in the Indian Ocean.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080916.wfranrescue0916/BNStory/International/home