From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sat Oct 31 2009 - 17:12:02 EST
Somali pirates: Western boats 'loot' Somali fish
31/10/2009
(AP)
MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali pirates who are demanding $7 million in ransom
for a British sailing couple say boats from other countries are "looting"
Somalia's fish-rich waters.
Ahmed Gadaf, who says he's a spokesman for the pirates, says Western fishing
vessels "harass" local fishermen and destroy their nets. Gadaf spoke to The
Associated Press by satellite phone.
Gadaf says the British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, are safe and will
not be harmed.
Illegal fishing off the coast of Somalia stirs strong passions in the
country. The country's prime minister, Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, said
in a speech last week that many countries are fishing illegally in Somali
waters and have pushed formerly profitable Somali fishermen into the pirate
trade.
Copyright C 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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