Somali tanker pirates 'want $25m'
Friday, 21 November 2008
Pirates who hijacked a Saudi oil tanker off the Somali coast are reported to have demanded a $25m (£17m) ransom, report agencies.
The AFP news agency, quoting one of the pirates, says the owners have been set a 10-day deadline to hand over the sum.
The Sirius Star is the biggest tanker ever hijacked, carrying a cargo of two million barrels of Saudi oil - worth more than $100m.
"We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter," the agency quoted Mohamed Said as saying.
"The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous," he added, without elaborating.
On Wednesday, Saudi officials confirmed that the ship's owners are in talks with the pirates, but Vela International, which operates the Sirius Star, has not commented about claims of negotiations.
The 25 captive crew on the Sirius Star include two British citizens, two Poles, one Croatian, one Saudi national and 19 Filipinos.
The pirates who seized the tanker Saturday are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.
Much of their ransom money from previous hijackings has been used to buy new boats and weapons as well as develop a network across the Horn of Africa, he adds.
Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said Thursday that "countries do not like to negotiate with terrorists or hijackers but the final decision rests with the owners of the ship"."I know that the owners of the tanker, they are negotiating on the issue," he said.
The company which operates the Sirius Star has remained tight-lipped about claims of negotiations.
The AFP news agency, quoting one of the pirates, says the owners have been set a 10-day deadline to hand over the sum.
The Sirius Star is the biggest tanker ever hijacked, carrying a cargo of two million barrels of Saudi oil - worth more than $100m.
"We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter," the agency quoted Mohamed Said as saying.
"The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous," he added, without elaborating.
On Wednesday, Saudi officials confirmed that the ship's owners are in talks with the pirates, but Vela International, which operates the Sirius Star, has not commented about claims of negotiations.
The 25 captive crew on the Sirius Star include two British citizens, two Poles, one Croatian, one Saudi national and 19 Filipinos.
The pirates who seized the tanker Saturday are a sophisticated group with contacts in Dubai and neighbouring countries, says the BBC Somali Service's Yusuf Garaad.
Much of their ransom money from previous hijackings has been used to buy new boats and weapons as well as develop a network across the Horn of Africa, he adds.
Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said Thursday that "countries do not like to negotiate with terrorists or hijackers but the final decision rests with the owners of the ship"."I know that the owners of the tanker, they are negotiating on the issue," he said.
The company which operates the Sirius Star has remained tight-lipped about claims of negotiations.