Somali pirates built up their defences around a captured Saudi Arabian supertanker on Friday after demanding a $25-million ransom.
As foreign navies sent warships to Somalia’s dangerous waters and shipping companies sought alternative routes, extra clan militia and other fighters were brought in to strengthen security at the pirate lair of Harardhere, residents said.
”Some of them are inside the town and others are taking shelter in a nearby village and can be called if need be,” local resident Mohamed Awale said. He said the fighters had come from neighbouring Gulgudud and Mudug regions.
Local militia and hard-line al-Shabaab fighters also arrived in Harardhere in what some residents said was a move to position themselves for a share of any ransom paid.
”There are two armed vehicles belonging to al-Shabaab. They have reached the town of Harardhere but there are no intentions of attacking the ship from here,” a Harardhere Islamist official said by phone.
”There are many militiamen who have arrived in the town and they want to get a share from the pirates if the ransom is paid,” said Ahmed Abdullahi, a local elder. ”They believe this ship is huge and the owner will pay a lot of money.”
The Sirius Star, the biggest ship ever hijacked, and its $100-million load of oil was seized last Saturday and taken to Harardhere, 300km north of lawless Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
The pirates on Thursday gave the owners 10 days to pay a $25-million ransom.
Speaking from the tanker, a pirate who identified himself as Mohamed Said threatened ”disastrous” consequences should Vela International, shipping arm of the Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco, fail to comply.
”We are demanding $25-million from the Saudi owners of the tanker. We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter,” Said told AFP.
”The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous,” he said.
He did not specify the threatened action but, the 330m long tanker is carrying two million barrels of crude oil.
Environmental groups have warned of a huge catastrophe if oil from the supertanker was released.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Wednesday the owners were in talks with the pirates, but Vela International has remained tight-lipped.
With close to 100 attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean this year, the pirates now pose a growing threat to international trade.
Pirates with no confirmed links to bigger organisations and relatively modest means have seized ships of all sizes and in an ever-growing area.
The United States said it would seek support at the United Nations for a resolution to tighten international measures against Somali pirates.
The Indian frigate INS Tabar, one of dozens of warships from several countries protecting commercial shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden, sank a Somali pirate ship Tuesday after coming under fire.
Russia announced it would send more warships to combat piracy and also called for an international ground military operation to crush piracy. — AFP
