Here Comes the Somali Navy

Somalia hires US company to take on pirates

HIRED GUNS: A US firm plans to go after a pirate `mother ship’ as part of a contract to secure the nation’s coast, and will train Somali coast guards

Lawless Somalia’s largely powerless transitional government on Friday signed a multi-million-dollar two-year deal with a US maritime security firm to fight rampant piracy in the waters off its unpatrolled coast.

Waters off the coast of Somalia are considered among the most dangerous in the world.

Pirates firing rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns earlier this month tried to board a US-owned cruise liner about 160km off the Somali coast.

New York-based Topcat Marine Security Inc signed a deal worth more than US$50 million with the Somali Transitional Federal Government in Nairobi to escort ships plying Somali waters.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi, who witnessed the deal, said his government recognized the damage caused by pirates and hoped Topcat would help end the piracy menace. …

Under the first phase of the contract, TopCat will train Somali coast guards and special forces to monitor the anarchic nation’s 3,700km coast.

It will also help create five coastal security bases, provide Somali authorities with advanced communications equipment, high-speed patrol boats, ground vehicles and helicopters, officials said.

Clenched Fist Salute: Lazar

Comments

  1. Alan K. Henderson wrote:

    Does Johnny Depp have anything to do with this?

    Posted 30 Nov 2005 at 11:59 pm

  2. Eric J wrote:

    Actually, I’m more reminded of Season 1 of Babylon 5.

    Then again, I am a geek.

    Posted 01 Dec 2005 at 10:59 am

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