Pirates commandeered a United States-flagged container ship with 20 American crew members off the coast of Somalia on Wednesday, in what appeared to be the first time a ship with an American crew had been seized by pirates in the area. There were conflicting reports about who was in control of the ship hours after it was seized.
At about noon Eastern time, some twelve hours after the hijacking, a Pentagon official speaking on condition of anonymity said that “it is our understanding that the crew has taken back control of the vessel.”
A second military official, also speaking anonymously because of the delicacy of the matter, said that initial reports remained murky. The official said that crew members may be holding one of the pirates, and that several of the pirates may be holding the ship’s captain.
The container ship, the Maersk Alabama, was taken by pirates at about 7:30 a.m. local time, 280 miles southeast of the Somali city of Eyl, a known haven for pirates, a spokesman for the United States Navy said. The ship is owned and operated by Maersk Line Limited, a United States subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, the Danish shipping giant.
John F. Reinhart, the president and chief executive officer of Marsk Line Limited, said at a news conference at noon EDT that the company had received a call Wednesday morning from the crew confirming that they were unharmed. He said seventeen of the 20 families of the crew members had been notified, he said.
President Obama, who returned to Washington at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday after his overseas trip, was briefed on the situation. The White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said the administration was “assessing a course of action to resolve this situation.” “Our top priority is the personal safety of the crew members on board,” Mr. Gibbs said.
The Maersk Alabama was at least the sixth commercial ship commandeered by pirates in the last week off the Horn of Africa, one of the most notoriously lawless zones on the high seas, where pirates have been operating with near impunity despite efforts by many nations, including the United States, to intimidate them with naval warship patrols.
The Cape Cod Times reported on its Web site Wednesday that the chief officer and captain of the vessel are both graduates of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vermont, is a 1979 graduate of the maritime academy, and Capt. Shane Murphy, 34, the chief officer graduated in 2001, according to Mr. Murphy’s father, a professor at the academy.
While Maersk Line Limited, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is one of the Department of Defense’s primary shipping contractors, it was not under contract with the Defense Department at the time of its hijacking, said Lt. Stephanie Murdock, a spokeswoman with the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.
The 508-foot long ship was en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa and was carrying food and other agricultural materials for the World Food Program, a United Nations agency, among other clients, including the United States Agency for International Development.
It was on a regular rotation through the Indian Ocean from Salalah, a city in southwestern Oman, to Djibouti, and then on to Mombasa, according to the company’s headquarters in Denmark.
The ship, built in Taiwan in 1998, was less than half full, carrying some 400 20-foot containers of cargo such as vegetable oil and bulgur wheat. It can carry over 1,000 such containers, and was deployed in Maersk Line’s East Africa service network, the company said.
There have been more than 50 pirate attacks this year off of the Somali coast, with the bulk of the attacks occurring in the Gulf of Aden, which separates the Arabian peninsula from the Horn of Africa. Sixteen ships with more than 200 crew remain in pirate custody, most of them docked a few miles off the Somali coast while ransom negotiations with the ship owners take place, said Lt. Nathan Christensen, a spokesman with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
About 15 international naval vessels, including three American Navy ships, now patrol the pirate-infested waters, many under an American-led task force created to combat piracy.
At the time of the attack on the Maersk Alabama, the closest patrol vessel was some 300 nautical miles away, the Navy said. Most of the patrol vessels are concentrated in the Gulf of Aden, and as a result, the pirates have expanded their reach into the open seas. The Navy would not comment on whether its patrol boats were now following the hijacked vessel.
“It’s that old saying: Where the cops aren’t, the criminals are going to go,” Lieutenant Christensen said. “We patrol an area of more than one million square miles. The simple fact of the matter is that we can’t be everywhere at one time.”
Piracy has become a multi-million dollar business in Somalia, a nation that has limped along since 1991 without a functioning central government. A captured Ukrainian arms freighter hijacked off Somalia’s coast in 2008, for example, was released in February when its owners paid $3.2 million in cash, dropped by parachute.
Armed with automatic weapons, the pirates often attack the large merchant ships from small speed boats, then scale the towering ship hulls with hooks and ropes and overtake the merchant crews, which are generally unarmed.
To extend their reach from shore, the pirates have begun operating from floating outposts known as “mother ships” — often captured fishing trawlers that can serve as bases for the smaller speedboats as they lie in wait. The crews are generally not harmed by the pirates.
Lieutenant Christensen said he “could not recall” another episode involving the capture of an American ship by Somali pirates. Noel Choong, head of the Piracy Reporting Center at the International Maritime Bureau, in Kuala Lumpur, said that no such occurrences had been reported “for the past three or four years — at least.”
“There are no reports that any of the crew is injured,” Mr. Choong said. “Normally, the pirates would treat the crew well.”
“The Somali pirates are now actually venturing very far out from the coast,” Mr. Choong said, “up to 500 nautical miles.”
The ship has carried a United States flag — meaning it is registered in the United States — since 2004, when it came under contract with the United States Maritime Security Program, which is run by the Maritime Administration, an agency within the United States Department of Transportation, according to a press release issued by Maersk Line Limited. The designation allows the ship to contract with American government agencies and carry sensitive American cargo.
the international community is taking advantage of shipping lane ( so much money could be made off of it), and keeps dumping toxic waste on the Somali coast. These pirates don't seem that bad to me, since they don't ever actually hurt someone. But then again, they shouldn't have taken this ship. This one actually had good intents.
But fuck every other ship they held hostage. They deserved it.
the international community is taking advantage of shipping lane ( so much money could be made off of it), and keeps dumping toxic waste on the Somali coast. These pirates don't seem that bad to me, since they don't ever actually hurt someone. But then again, they shouldn't have taken this ship. This one actually had good intents.
But fuck every other ship they held hostage. They deserved it.
Are you serious? Please list every ship and exactly why they deserved to be captured and held hostage at gunpoint so that they pirates can get a few bucks that they did nothing to earn?
It's not the fault of other more successful countries that Somalia is such a piece of shit with a corrupt, impotent government that lets its population suffer.
smh
the international community is taking advantage of shipping lane ( so much money could be made off of it), and keeps dumping toxic waste on the Somali coast. These pirates don't seem that bad to me, since they don't ever actually hurt someone. But then again, they shouldn't have taken this ship. This one actually had good intents.
But fuck every other ship they held hostage. They deserved it.
Are you serious?
TaunTaun hit it on the head.
TaunTaun hit it on the head.
It's terrible to dump nuclear waste anywhere, but that doesn't justify the pirates' actions, the vast majority of which have come against vessels and/or companies whose only crime is being in the general area.
You might think the initial actions are justified, but it cannot be argued that what has resulted is driven purely by the desire to make a buck, a buck that is NOT used to legally bring these companies to justice and is NOT being used to clean up the problem.. You know why they can't bring them to justice? Because the damn country is too unsafe and out of control for a formal investigation. And you're also aware that at least a portion of this dumping was paid for and sanctioned by members of the Somalia government, right?
Yeah he even says that in the vid. He's just explaining why it's come about. Why would you need to go into the country to see that toxic waste is being dumped off their shores?
@matt
I get where you're coming from.
But, the way I see it. Somalis are for the first time being troublesome to someone other then themselves. This publicity, will at least force someone, to do something about the coast line there.
Yeah he even says that in the vid. He's just explaining why it's come about. Why would you need to go into the country to see that toxic waste is being dumped off their shores?
Because you can't actually see the ships dumping the waste? You actually need to go into the country and test the shorelines as well as the ocean at various distances from the coast to understand the extent of the damage. You have to understand the situation before you can do anything about it.@matt
I get where you're coming from.
But, the way I see it. Somalis are for the first time being troublesome to someone other then themselves. This publicity, will at least force someone, to do something about the coast line there.
How about the pirates ask for something more than money the next time they hijack a ship? Like a podium to bring their issues to the world along with the promise of safe passage for a team to investigate and diagnose the problem. In all of the recent coverage of the hijackings, NO ONE is covering the illegal dumping angle, which just goes to show you that the pirates are completely and utterly failing at getting their point across.
Besides, how do you justify the recent pirate actions of going hundreds of miles off the coast to hijack ships?
The pirates themselves aren't white knights. They are the product of ignoring and holding little value to what happens there. They are like a starved dog, it's only a matter of time before they go mad and bite everything in their inner radius.
So to me, it's like thieves vs thieves. There's no one really good there.
(CNN) -- The American captain of a cargo ship held hostage by pirates jumped overboard from the lifeboat where he was being held, and U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of his four captors, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.
Capt. Richard Phillips was helped out of the water off the Somali coast and is uninjured and in good condition, the official said. He was taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, a nearby naval warship.
At the time of the shootings, the fourth pirate was aboard the Bainbridge negotiating with officials, the source said. That pirate was taken into custody.
Maersk Line Limited, owner of the cargo ship that Phillips captained, issued a statement saying it was informed at 1:30 p.m. by the U.S. government that he had been rescued. John Reinhart, president and CEO, called Phillips' wife, Andrea, to tell her the good news.
Crew members from the ship, the Maersk Alabama, were "jubilant" when they received word, the statement says.
"We are all absolutely thrilled to learn that Richard is safe and will be re-united with his family," Reinhart said. "Maersk Line Limited is deeply grateful to the Navy, the FBI and so many others for their tireless efforts to secure Richard's freedom."
"We look forward to welcoming him home in the coming days," Reinhart added.
Earlier Sunday, Maersk said the U.S. Navy had informed the company that it had sighted Phillips in the lifeboat where the pirates were holding him.
A man who answered the door at Phillips' home in Underhill, Vermont, on Sunday afternoon told CNN's Stephanie Elam that the family had known the news for hours. He said details would have to come from Virginia, apparently referring to Maersk's home base in Norfolk.
On Saturday, the FBI launched a criminal investigation into the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship by Somali pirates, two law enforcement officials told CNN. The probe will be led by the FBI's New York field office, which is responsible for looking into cases involving U.S. citizens in the African region, the officials said.
Snippets of information started to emerge Saturday about how the Maersk Alabama's crew managed to retake the ship after it was hijacked by pirates Wednesday about 350 miles off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean.
The Alabama reached port in Mombasa, Kenya,on Saturday. Crew members aboard the freed cargo ship described how some of their colleagues attempted to "jump" their pirate captors.
A scuffle ensued and one of the sailors stabbed a pirate in the hand in the battle to retake the container ship, one of the sailors told CNN.
Crew members smiled broadly as they stood on the ship's deck under the watchful eyes of security teams. Although the crew was kept away from the media, CNN's Stan Grant got close enough to ask crew members what happened after the pirates climbed aboard the ship.
One crew member said he recalled being awakened around 7 a.m. as the hijacking began.
"I was scared," Grant quoted the man as saying.
Some of the crew managed to hide in a secure part of the Alabama as the pirates stormed the ship, the sailor said.
As the sailors described their clash with the pirates, a crew member pointed to one shipmate and said, "This guy is a hero. He and the chief engineer, they took down the pirate. ... He led him down there to the engine room and then they jumped him."
The shipmate added that he stabbed the pirate's hand and tied him up.
"Capt. Phillips is a hero," another crew member shouted from the deck of the freed ship.
An earlier attempt by Phillips to escape from the 28-foot covered lifeboat was thwarted by a pirate, who dove into the Indian Ocean after him. Phillips' captors appear to have tied him up afterward, Pentagon officials said.
Maersk CEO Reinhart told reporters Saturday that the crew will stay on board in Mombasa while the FBI conducts an investigation.
Exactly. That's what I'm hoping for. People seem to just have forgotten about that place. The place is slowly becoming a terrorist haven. International community needs to act fast. These pirates are only the beginning of Somalis taking their troubles international.
Exactly. That's what I'm hoping for. People seem to just have forgotten about that place. The place is slowly becoming a terrorist haven. International community needs to act fast. These pirates are only the beginning of Somalis taking their troubles international.
Operation Somali freedom?
Exactly. That's what I'm hoping for. People seem to just have forgotten about that place. The place is slowly becoming a terrorist haven. International community needs to act fast. These pirates are only the beginning of Somalis taking their troubles international.
Operation Somali freedom?
I'm just surprised that a story about four pirates and a container ship even got onto CNN.It was an American vessel with an American hostage. That's par for the course for an American new company.
Is our navy the only one capable to respond to threats like this? I don't know why other countries don't send ships to take these punks out.
Is our navy the only one capable to respond to threats like this? I don't know why other countries don't send ships to take these punks out.
French commandos have captured or killed like 60 pirates.
French commandos are scary.
Is our navy the only one capable to respond to threats like this? I don't know why other countries don't send ships to take these punks out.
French commandos have captured or killed like 60 pirates.
French commandos are scary.
Because they are French or because they are commandos?spoiler (click to show/hide)Did you edit in that 'good'!? :'( :'( :'([close]
Lazy Town makes being a pirate seem so fun and carefree. :-\
Somali pirates were quick to vow revenge over the shooting of their comrades, as well as a French military assault to rescue a yacht on Friday.http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE53A1LP20090412?sp=true
"The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing. We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now," Hussein, a pirate, told Reuters by satellite phone.
so that'll be Obama's fault I'm guessing
for lols
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/12/whats-missing-from-obamas-statement/
Rocketman army!
Somalia: Shells fired amid US visit
Donald Payne plans to meet with Somalia's prime minister on his trip to Mogadishu [Getty]
Mortar shells have been fired towards a US congressman as he left Mogadishu, after what is believed to be the first visit to the Somali capital by a senior US politician since 1994.
The attack on Monday came as Donald Payne, a New Jersey Democrat, was leaving in a plane from the city's airport after meeting Somalia's foreign minister to discuss the increase in piracy off the country's coastline.
"The plane of the congressman was leaving and the mortars started falling ... the attack was aimed at the congressman. He flew out safely," an African Union (AU) official told the AFP news agency.
"One mortar landed at the airport when Payne's plane was due to fly and five others after he left. No one was hurt,"a police officer at Mogadishu airport said.
Residents said three people were wounded when a shell fell near houses nearby.
Tenuous policy
The congressman's visit came a day after a US merchant captain was freed from Somali pirates after the US Navy ended a five-day standoff, killing three of the four who had been holding the American hostage.
The incident marked the first time an American had been taken captive in the recent wave of pirate attacks seen off the Horn of Africa since 2006.
US foreign policy towards Somalia has been tenuous ever since 18 US soldiers were killed in a battle in Mogadishu in 1993.
Somalia's civil conflict, lawlessness and widespread poverty have led to the return of pirates to the waters off the Horn of Africa after nearly two decades of relative calm.
Last year, the UN Security Council took steps aimed at curbing Somalia's pirates by authorising navies to follow pirates into Somalia's territorial waters and allowed land operations against known pirate havens.
Arms race fears
Some US military officials have expressed caution at the idea of becoming more aggressive against pirates, or increasing the number of warships on patrol.
Thad Allen, a US coast guard spokesman, said that arming ships' crews was unpopular with shipping companies who are concerned about entering an arms race with pirates and being held liable for the weapons.
"That's not what these mariners are trained to do," Allen said. "What you really have to have is a co-ordinating mechanism that ultimately brings these pirates to court."
In the last three weeks, there have been 18 or 19 piracy attempts in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin.
Pirates are believed to have attacked nearly 150 ships and collected millions of dollars in ransom money in 2008.
Fuck. Did we just get pulled into more shit?No, those pirates and their ilk are no real threat in the end, and we kind of have no choice but to shoot them in that situation in the first place so it's not like they'll get much sympathy or help in their cause.
what the fuck is going on in somalia?
what the fuck is going on in somalia?
From what I understand:
Government fell apart
Other countries began dumping waste in their waters
Ruined the lives of fishermen for the most part.
Government wasn't really there, so no help was coming
Fishermen had enough shit so the decided to get revenge on these boats that keep dumping shit in the water
I just feel like there should be an international government to control Somalia for a few years. What that country can have, and how they treat each other is just sad.
I just feel like there should be an international government to control Somalia for a few years. What that country can have, and how they treat each other is just sad.
Well, we've all seen how inefficient the UN peacekeeping program can be when deployed to troubled African regions. Now, a UN sanctioned and funded deconstructive program, that would probably be more effective. There would be blood spilled initially, but there would be more long term stability.
I just wanted to post to emphasize the technical skill involved in the rescue operation.Apparently all three pirate heads 'bobbed' up at the same time adding further difficulty in what was really an enclosed vessel.
From my understanding, the SEALS made their shots either from the water, or from the Bainbridge. Either way, the technical difficulty of making three near-simultaneous one-shot headshots at sea is incredible. Those SEALS deserve some medals for sure.
I'm not sure anyone deserves a medal for blowing someone's head off, but it definitely shows that they are mighty good at what they do.
I'm not sure anyone deserves a medal for blowing someone's head off, but it definitely shows that they are mighty good at what they do.::)
I'm not sure anyone deserves a medal for blowing someone's head off, but it definitely shows that they are mighty good at what they do.
well, they also directly saved a man's life by blowing those heads off.
But I'm willing to accept that as my bias. I think those SEALS deserve kudos for their work.
I'm not sure anyone deserves a medal for blowing someone's head off, but it definitely shows that they are mighty good at what they do.::)
mighty huge simplification of what they did
Either way, the technical difficulty of making three near-simultaneous one-shot headshots at sea is incredible. Those SEALS deserve some medals for sure.
The saved the life of a Maersk employee who acted stupidly in the first place. It's great and all that he was saved, but some dudes just got their heads blown off. I appreciate the skill involved the operation, but it feels positively medieval to praise distant killing ability as something that should be rewarded with medals.I don't get this. The pirates provoked the situation. They initiated lethal force in the first place by taking an hostage at gun point.
The saved the life of a Maersk employee who acted stupidly in the first place. It's great and all that he was saved, but some dudes just got their heads blown off. I appreciate the skill involved the operation, but it feels positively medieval to praise distant killing ability as something that should be rewarded with medals.I don't get this. The pirates provoked the situation. They initiated lethal force in the first place.
I'm not taking the pirates' side at all, just getting a bit fed up with the admiration of lethal force. They did their job well, good for them and good for that idiot captain. But there's still the matter of their job involving shooting others in the head. I guess I'm less tolerant of this outside of directly military applications, but I find it mildly nauseating to see former Navy SEAL this or that on national news talking military tech talk in describing the operation which eliminated the targets. Seems like neatly packaged, primitive culture.
I'm not taking the pirates' side at all, just getting a bit fed up with the admiration of lethal force. They did their job well, good for them and good for that idiot captain.
No one is happy that three people had to be killed.
The fourth one is apparently 14 years old.QuoteNo one is happy that three people had to be killed.
Speak for yourself. I'm pretty happy that three of the pirates are dead. I saw throw the forth overboard in the middle of the ocean.
The fourth one is apparently 14 years old.QuoteNo one is happy that three people had to be killed.
Speak for yourself. I'm pretty happy that three of the pirates are dead. I saw throw the forth overboard in the middle of the ocean.
QuoteNo one is happy that three people had to be killed.
Speak for yourself. I'm pretty happy that three of the pirates are dead. I saw throw the forth overboard in the middle of the ocean.
What would you do? To me shit like this that happened with this ship is 1000 times more serious than middle eastern terrorism.
Piracy: legal as long as your younger than 18.
/liberal distinguished mentally-challenged fellows
What would you do? To me shit like this that happened with this ship is 1000 times more serious than middle eastern terrorism.:stfu
This thread is one-thousand times worse than what happened on that ship, consequently, one-million times worse than Middle Eastern terrorism.
^^ LOL
The fact that lolbertopians can't help but lick their chops at the thought of real live PIRATES and seeing harsh justice dealt to them outside of a legal system is pretty telling about their worldview.
Plus. The pirates never actually kill anyone.
Obviously, they are scum and the kid should not be let go. But what the kid did, especially the fact he is a minor does not warrant the death penalty.Plus. The pirates never actually kill anyone.
The pirates do kidnap innocent crew members, many of whom are fairly poor themselves, at gun-point and then hold them hostage for months until they receive millions of dollars. No matter how well they treat their hostages, the pirates are still scum.
Plus. The pirates never actually kill anyone.
The pirates do kidnap innocent crew members, many of whom are fairly poor themselves, at gun-point and then hold them hostage for months until they receive millions of dollars. No matter how well they treat their hostages, the pirates are still scum.
This is true, but then what is going to be done, on a larger scale? The US government intervened to save one of its own, that's great, but I'd certainly hope there is a comprehensive plan being crafted to deal with the larger problem. The next pirate attack is going to be a bloody one, so it would be nice if the fundamentals could be worked on to avoid some of this.
Obviously, they are scum and the kid should not be let go. But what the kid did, especially the fact he is a minor does not warrant the death penalty.Plus. The pirates never actually kill anyone.
The pirates do kidnap innocent crew members, many of whom are fairly poor themselves, at gun-point and then hold them hostage for months until they receive millions of dollars. No matter how well they treat their hostages, the pirates are still scum.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/14/bernard-goldberg-hannity_n_186613.html
smh
Typical liberal response. We are never responsible for our own actions. SMS. Someone could rape your mother and eat your dog while you watch and you would find excuses. LolWe aren't saying what he did is wrong, we are saying it doesn't justify the death penalty.
FoC, care to elaborate on why you think the pirates are 1000 times worse than the terrorists?
FoC, care to elaborate on why you think the pirates are 1000 times worse than the terrorists?
A negotiator? I thought he was a pirate? Or is negotiator the politically correct term for pirate?
Movies aren't fiction.
A negotiator? I thought he was a pirate? Or is negotiator the politically correct term for pirate?
The 16-year-old pirate, after surrendering, was trying to get his fellow pirates to surrender, too.Movies aren't fiction.
???
A pirate who didn't kill anyone, who was a minor, and was trying to get the other pirates to surrender?A negotiator? I thought he was a pirate? Or is negotiator the politically correct term for pirate?
The 16-year-old pirate, after surrendering, was trying to get his fellow pirates to surrender, too.
I mean, you're a libertarian, self-centered nightmare on account of your cushy, upper middle class upbringing, but none of us are eager to throw you overboard on account of your sheltered childhood.
As a Somali. The pirates are complete filth. There's not diference between them and the other "izbaro" ( road block raiders). But, people aren't born evil. Heck, if the circumstances were turned around, I could be the guy in the hands of the SEALS. The pirates are just an after effect of a functionless government. I really want the UN to step in and start breaking tribals.
Oh, and I was there in Black Hawk Down. I made a visit to the military base, my dad worked for the Red Cross. Those soldiers were so awesome. I met and African American dude, he was so awesome, he gave me this huuuuuge red apple. I'll never forget that day, those guys were freakin' heroes.
Love you :D:D
"I have directed the [State] Department to work with shippers and the insurance industry to address gaps in their self-defence measures."That might not end well.
Map of recent pirate activity.
(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45665000/gif/_45665777_africa_piracy_apr15_226.gif)
Maybe this story and the political action over it is a bit overblown?
Clinton:Quote"I have directed the [State] Department to work with shippers and the insurance industry to address gaps in their self-defence measures."That might not end well.
Not really. Their impacting business and American lives now, and they operate out of a lawless state with no clearly defined international consequences.
Not really. Their impacting business and American lives now, and they operate out of a lawless state with no clearly defined international consequences.
Somalibertopia!
hey!
LEAVE MY PEOPLE ALONE!
I'm like the Christopher Walken of the intarwebz!spoiler (click to show/hide):-\[close]
I'm like the Christopher Walken of the intarwebz!spoiler (click to show/hide):-\[close]
except you play with toys still
http://www.purplepawn.com/2009/04/webzine-roundup/
This should help wash away the pain of White Dwarf being $10 an issuespoiler (click to show/hide):shh gillod will be joining my dnd game[close]
Turkey pledges support for Somalia security forces
1 day ago
ANKARA (AFP) — Turkey will assist Somalia in establishing and training its security forces after years of bloody conflict and political turmoil in the African country, President Abdullah Gul said Friday.
"Turkey will provide support to Somalia in establishing and training its security forces and in meeting their needs," Gul said after talks with visiting Somali President Sharif Aheikh Ahmed.
Ankara would also help to improve health services and education in the country, he said.
Ahmed was elected president in January following UN-brokered reconciliation talks aimed at stabilising a country that had had no effective central authority since civil war erupted in 1991.
The Somali leader spoke of "great progress and improvement" in his country in recent months, urging more international support for reconstruction efforts.
"We will definitely not allow... unrest in Somalia again," he said.
Ahmed expressed "regret" for the spate of piracy attacks off Somalia, which have prompted the international community, including Turkey, to deploy war ships in the region to protect commercial vessels.
"This problem can be resolved inside the country, but we also need the support of the international community," he said.
An international meeting, sponsored by the United Nations and the European Union, is to be held next week in Brussels with the aim of boosting aid to Somalia.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.
Not really. Their impacting business and American lives now, and they operate out of a lawless state with no clearly defined international consequences.
"No one had objections about the motion……that automatically makes Somalia an Islamic state," Boqore said.