Highlights:
− Somali pirates hijacked a Danish-owned tugboat and its six crew members off Somalia’s northeastern coast and are demanding ransom
− Acts of piracy are a common occurrence off Somalia’s coast, however, pirates may increase their targeting of oil and gas related vessels as it may bring a larger profit margin
− Concern is growing for potential piracy and terrorist grouping collaborations
On February 1, 2008, a number of Somali pirates seized a Danish-owned tugboat, Svitzer Korsakov, carrying a British captain, an Irish engineer and four Russian crewmen . All six hostages are reportedly unharmed; however the pirates are demanding a large ransom for their release.
The Sivtzer Korsakov vessel is intended for use in the Sakhalin II oil and gas project led by Russian energy giant Gazprom. It was seized off the coast of Puntland during its voyage from St. Petersburg to Russia’s far eastern island of Sakhalin via Singapore. The coast of Somalia has been a piracy hotspot in recent years; however, the pirates’ typical targets have increasingly changed to include Western targets of opportunity, a method favored by many terrorist organizations.
Although Somali pirates typically have had a separate agenda than that of terrorist groups, recent incidents have suggested that both may be interested in utilizing the same “means,” (targeting Western interests) but to a different “end” (piracy verses jihad).
Growing Terrorism Fears Assist in Piracy Acts
Somali pirates seized more than two-dozen ships off the coast of Somalia in 2007. The International Maritime Bureau, which tracks acts of piracy and maritime terrorism around the world, stated in its annual report earlier this year that global pirate attacks rose by 10 percent in 2007, with the Horn of Africa being one of the major contributors to the increase. Acts of piracy occur on an almost bi-monthly basis off the coast of Somalia and have usually targeted small sized vessels carrying basic goods and other valuable cargo.
In February 2007, however, during the civil war between the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), a group of pirates seized a UN-Chartered ship carrying food aid as a means to raise funds and seize valuable cargo for profit . Attacking such targets may have established a new trend for Somali pirates going forward.
As terrorists have increasingly sought to target and attack Western economic interests in recent months, pirates have also adopted the same approach, as it may prove more profitable for them. In the past, Somali pirates were more interested in hijacking small boats for food, supplies, and other cargo, to potentially use or sell for profit. As Western governments based in the region have assumed high alert due to increasing threats from al-Qaeda and other affiliated terror groups, they have also gained prominence and have become a more attractive target for pirates. European-owned vessels may be more willing to pay a larger ransom for crewmembers. As such, pirates who are more interested in fundraising than acts of terrorism have found Western interests more valuable.
Pirates and Terrorists May Work Together in the Future
More concerning is the potential for terrorists and unaffiliated pirates eventually working together to conduct large-scale attacks that would be profitable for both parties. Even if pirates are not interested in furthering the global jihad, they are interested in fundraising and making a profit. Hijacking a Western vessel would accomplish both ends, by using the same means.
If pirates and terrorists were to join forces in the coastal waters of the Horn (a major shipping lane for many Western oil and gas or cargo ships), they would be pursuing each other’s goals by default and would present a large-scale crisis for the global economy.
Depending on their capabilities, pirates around the globe may be increasingly willing to help terrorists in the future even if they are not interested in the global jihad. If maritime pirates see that aligning with terrorist organizations would potentially increase their profit margins, a loose alliance may become a reality in the future.
