Somali Pirates: Uh, Hey, We're 'Misunderstood'

No plans to sell weapons to Islamists

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 30, 2008 11:24 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Somali pirates currently surrounded by US warships aboard a Ukrainian weapons freighter say they didn’t mean to steal the massive heavy weaponry shipment, they tell the New York Times, calling in by satellite phone. “We just saw a big ship,” said the leader. “So we stopped it.” They promise they’re not out to sell the cargo to terrorists. “We just want the money.”

Mostly, the raiders want you to know that they’re not such bad guys. “We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits,” said the leader, saying they’re out to stop illegal fishing and dumping in Somali waters. “Think of us like a coast guard,” though perhaps a pricey one —they want $20 million for the weapons. But they’re not worried about those hostile US ships. After all, “You only die once.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

The pirated merchant ship MV Faina is seen from a US Navy guided-missile cruiser in the Indian Ocean. (AP Photo/Navy Visual News Service, Petty Officer Jason Zalasky)

In this picture released by U.S. Navy, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, Somali pirates in small boats are seen alongside the hijacked "Faina". (AP Photo)

In this Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 handout photograph provided by the U.S. Navy, the pirated merchant ship MV Faina is seen from a US Navy guided-missile cruiser in the Indian Ocean. (AP Photo/Navy Visual News Service, Petty Officer Jason Zalasky)

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We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish in our seas and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our seas. - Sugule Ali, leader of the pirate crew aboard the Faina

It’s true that the pirates started to defend the fishing business. But this does not justify these boys to now act like guardians. They are criminals. The world must help us crack down on them. - Mohamed Osman Aden, Somali dipomat

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Somali Pirates: Uh, Hey, We're 'Misunderstood'