The failed state of Somalia thrives on piracy

 

Taking Kickbacks From Pirates

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmedby Baron Bodissey/Gates of Vienna

 

I reported on Wednesday that President Abdullahi Yusuf of Somalia had appealed to the Russians and the Americans — and anyone else, really — to help him control the pirates off his coast.
Now it appears that Mr. Yusuf is following the example of St. Augustine: “Lord, make me chaste, but not yet.”   Common sense would expect the “president” of a failed state like Somalia to generate as many income streams as he could: UN aid, Western charity, bribes, kickbacks… and payments from pirates.  Continued page 2
                * Somalia Islamists rename Kismayo airport
                * Four pirate attacks off Somalia in 24 hours, U.S. says
  • Attacks come despite presence of six American warships 
  • Eight European countries have offered to help form an anti-piracy force
  

According to the Somali Press Review:

Somalia: Report Implicates Somali President in Piracy

London, October, 28 (Somali Press Review)—A new report from Chatham House on the Somali pirates has implicated Somali president in the surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia. The report coincides with the ongoing standoff between the US warship and Somali pirates who seized the Ukrainian cargo vessel carrying tanks and other weapons.

The report is an in-depth analysis of the threat Somali pirates pose not only to cargo ships but also to ships carrying relief supplies for drought stricken and war ravaged people in Somalia.

  • Eight European countries have offered to help form an anti-piracy force

    • – – -  – – – – –

    “Money [from piracy] will go to [president] Yusuf as a gesture of goodwill to a regional leader,” Roger Middleton, the report writer quoted an expert on Somalia as saying although the Somali president thanked the French president, Sarkozy, for the French navy’s action to capture Somali pirates now on trial in Paris.

    The Somali president’s remarks further angered pirates who overwhelmed Puntland security structure and caused more mayhem on the high seas. Somali Press Review asked Roger Middleton of Chatham House’s Africa Programme, if there was solid evidence showing the Somali president’s pecuniary association with the pirates. “Because of the lack of stability in Somalia it is very hard to trace payments,” Roger Middleton said. The Somali presidency has not so far challenged the quote in the Chatham House report.


    Previous posts about the Somali pirates:

    2005   Nov   5   Barbary Pirates Redux
            8   Update on the Somali Pirates
            14   The Mother Ship
    2006   Mar   24   The Jamaica-Somalia Connection
        Apr   8   The Taliban, Somali-Style
        Jul   5   Pirates in the Strait
    2007   Jun   5   Somali Pirates Take Danish Hostages
            6   The Territorial Waters of a Failed State
            8   Q-Ships for the Somali Coast?
            11   Pirates Demand Ransom for Danish Seamen
            13   Q-Ships, Pirates, and the Waters off Somalia
            25   The Danica White Runs Out of Food and Water
        Jul   11   Gossip-Mongers in Denmark
            21   The Danica White: Eight Weeks and Counting
        Aug   22   The Danica White Has Been Released
        Nov   24   Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Snaps
    2008   Apr   21   A Spanish Danica White?
            29   Reputed $1.2 Million Paid to Free Spanish Hostages…
        May   2   A No-Pursuit Policy for Pirates
        Aug   23   Targeting the Somali Pirates
            23   More on Task Force 150
        Sep   8   Danish Ship Averts Pirate Attacks
            11   Those Undeterred Somali Pirates
            26   The Russians are Chasing the Somali Pirates
            26   A Quarrel Among Pirates
        Oct   1   Somali Government Asks for Russian Help Against Pirates

     

    2 thoughts on “The failed state of Somalia thrives on piracy”

    1. “The airport is named after the former Somali holy war leader Imam Ahmed Gurey and we have told commercial airlines to use it,” said Sheikh Ahmed Haydar, another Kismayo official.”

      In other words, please use our jihadi airport and become hostages to be killed or ransomed for millions of dollars, for the cause.

    2. Why are any sane people having anything to do with Somalia? If there is hell on earth this so called country has to be a firm contender. Even worse, it’s one of their own making.
      Tell the *President* to sort it out and tell him that the only thing the pirates are going to get is a good sinking if they get within 200 yards (or more) of unarmed merchant marine ships plying their trade – then back it up.
      Enough’s enough.

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