Somali pirates demand prisoner release
Source: Agencies |
July 16, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SOMALI pirates holding South Korean hostages demanded yesterday that the South Korean government release pirate prisoners and pay compensation for a commando raid that killed several pirates earlier this year.
The attempt to use hostages to get concessions directly from their governments is a new trend, following demands made to the Indian government in April.
Hassan Abdi, one of the pirates holding 25 crew aboard the MV Gemini, said his group wants compensation for eight pirates killed in February when South Korean commandos stormed a ship and freed 21 hostages.
Abdi also wants pirates being held prisoner in South Korea to be released.
"First, we want the South Korean government to change its foolish treatment of us and come with a better approach toward us," he said in a statement.
"Second, we want compensation from them because they killed our brothers and they also have to release others in their jails. After that we may reconsider holding their nationals," he said.
The MV Gemini was hijacked off the Kenyan coast in May. Four of the crew are South Korean.
For the past two years, pirates have been holding hundreds of hostages at any one time. Some are from nations like the Philippines or India.
The attempt to use hostages to get concessions directly from their governments is a new trend, following demands made to the Indian government in April.
Hassan Abdi, one of the pirates holding 25 crew aboard the MV Gemini, said his group wants compensation for eight pirates killed in February when South Korean commandos stormed a ship and freed 21 hostages.
Abdi also wants pirates being held prisoner in South Korea to be released.
"First, we want the South Korean government to change its foolish treatment of us and come with a better approach toward us," he said in a statement.
"Second, we want compensation from them because they killed our brothers and they also have to release others in their jails. After that we may reconsider holding their nationals," he said.
The MV Gemini was hijacked off the Kenyan coast in May. Four of the crew are South Korean.
For the past two years, pirates have been holding hundreds of hostages at any one time. Some are from nations like the Philippines or India.
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