U.S. Navy Bolsters Watch Over Ship Seized by Somali Pirates

CAIRO, Sept. 29 -- The U.S. Navy on Monday strengthened its force of warships standing watch over a hijacked Ukrainian-operated vessel off Somalia, intent on ensuring that the pirates holding the vessel do not unload its cargo of 33 Soviet-designed T-72 tanks and other arms, a U.S. Navy spokesman said.

The United States has deployed "several" warships off Somalia, Lt. Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said by telephone from Bahrain. The Navy initially assigned only the USS Howard, a guided-missile destroyer, to trail the Faina after Somali pirates hijacked it Thursday.

The hijacked ship was within a few miles of the Somali port of Hobyo, and within sight of the American sailors, he said. The U.S. crews would maintain "a vigilant, visual watch," Christensen said. "We're deeply concerned about the cargo, and we don't want it to go into the wrong hands," he said.

Kenya's government has said the tanks and arms were meant for its military.

The pirates and international experts on East Africa assert the weapons were bound for southern Sudan, which is largely autonomous from Sudan's Khartoum-based government. Sudan is under a U.S. and U.N. arms embargo; it is not clear if the ban would apply to southern Sudan.

Andrew Mwangura, a director of the Kenya-based Seafarers Assistance Program, said shipping documents and other sources indicate that in the past two years, Ukrainian arms dealers have made four shipments of tanks and heavy weapons to southern Sudan via Kenya. Mwangura's organization has contacts among shippers and Somali clans, and has provided accurate information in the course of the hijacking.

Radio France Internationale said it had reached the Somali pirates aboard the Faina by satellite telephone Monday, and aired a recording of a man pledging to fight back if the Americans or anyone else attacked.

"Ships and troops have surrounded us," said a man identified by RFI as pirate Sugule Ali. He spoke in Somali.

"There's a lot of unusual movement surrounding us, and planes are flying overhead," the man said. "I warn anyone who might be tempted by any military operation or use of force, if we're attacked, we'll defend ourselves, until the last one of us dies." READ MORE