Medeshi Oct 24 , 2008
Food, water running low on Ukrainian arms ship hijacked off Somalia
MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED
Released : Friday, October 24, 2008
NAIROBI, Somalia, Food and water are reportedly running low on the Ukrainian arms ship hijacked by Somali pirates.
Meanwhile a spokesman for the pirates warned Thursday that the 20 crew members of the MV Faina would be among those killed if NATO forces attack the ship.
Pirate spokesman Sugule Ali also mocked comments by Tomex Team, the company which operates the Faina, for saying it has accumulated only $1 million toward the $20-million ransom the pirates initially demanded.
Ali described the Tomex statement as worthless, saying the money they claim to have raised ``would only pay for several nights' stay in a hotel.'
Ali declined to say whether the pirates had lowered their ransom demand.
He told the Associated Press that supplies were running out but the pirates would share what remained with the crew.
``We Somalis don't eat in front of a hungry person,' he said, speaking Thursday by satellite phone. ``We will share our food with them.'
But he repeated his promise to fight back if attacked, regardless of the arrival of a flotilla of NATO warships in the next few days.
``Either we get the money or hold on to the ship,' he said. ``And if attacked, we will fight back to the bitter end.'
``The important thing, though, is if we die they will die too,' he added, referring to the Faina's crew.
The Faina was heading for a Kenyan port with a cargo of 33 battle tanks and heavy weapons when armed pirates seized it Sept. 25 off coast of Somalia.
The ship is now anchored off Somalia's coast near the central town of Hobyo, where Ali was seeking medical treatment Thursday.
U.S. warships have surrounded the Faina for weeks, making sure its heavy weapons don't fall into the hands of any insurgent groups linked to al-Qaida.
