3 pirates reportedly dead in shootout on ship

[unhappycamper]

3 pirates reportedly dead in shootout on ship
By Elizabeth A. Kennedy - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Sep 30, 2008 19:43:13 EDT

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali pirates said Tuesday they celebrated a Muslim holiday aboard a hijacked freighter and denied reports that three comrades were killed in a shootout on the vessel, which is being closely watched by a half-dozen U.S. warships.

The hijacking of the MV Faina — laden with 33 Soviet-made T-72 tanks, rifles and heavy weapons that U.S. defense officials have said included rocket launchers — was the highest-profile act of piracy in the dangerous waters this year. The U.S. Navy has said it wants to keep the arms out of the hands of militants linked to al-Qaida in impoverished Somalia, a key battleground in the war on terrorism.

The pirates are demanding $20 million in ransom for the ship, which they boarded Thursday in the Indian Ocean off the Somali coast. There was a crew of 21 Russians and Ukrainians aboard, but the captain later died.

U.S. officials said 40-50 pirates were involved, but only about 30 were on the ship itself.

A Kenyan maritime official cited an unconfirmed report that three of the pirates were killed Monday night in a dispute over whether to surrender. Speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk on the record, a U.S. official in Washington said he believed that report was true. But the Pentagon had not confirmed the report by late Tuesday.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/09/ap_destroyer_pirates_092908/%2e