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| Africa: Horn |
| Rocket embedded in cruise ship |
| 2005-11-07 |
| WND. Salt as needed. EFL A U.S. cruise liner attacked with machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades off the coast of Somalia may have been the target of a terrorist high-sea assault, says Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The Seabourn Spirit, carrying 312 people including passengers and crew, is nearing a port in the Seychelles, but arrival may be delayed because an unexploded missile is embedded in the vessel, said the official, who is monitoring the ship's progress because about 19 Australians are on board. Passengers on the ship were awakened Saturday at dawn by the sound of machine-gun fire and the impact of the missile. The attack occurred about 100 miles off the coast of Somalia. "We're not sure whether in the early stages the ship will be able to tie up at the wharf there because of concern about an unexploded rocket that is embedded in some of the passenger accommodation of the ship," Downer told Australia's Nine Network. "American officials are going to board it initially to deal with that problem, and once that problem's dealt with then our consular officer will be able to go on board as well." Initial reports identified the attackers as pirates. The area is notorious for piracy. But Downer said it may have been a terrorist attack. "The whole thing is an extraordinary story, that it would be attacked by, we're not quite sure who at this stage, but it's possible the people who attacked the ship were terrorists," he said. Downer based his assessment on the methodology of the attack. The ship was on its way Alexandria, Egypt, to the Kenyan port of Mombasa where it was due to pick up more passengers. Passengers reported the attackers were close enough to be seen. "It was a frightening experience to see the flash of a rocket launcher and you just wonder what's about to happen to you in the next couple of seconds," one passenger recounted to the Australian Seven Network. She reported the captain stayed calm, warning passengers: "We have people shooting at us, we are going to try to outrun them." In March of this year, a Philippine military report based on interrogations of captured terrorists said two al-Qaida-linked groups were training members in scuba diving in preparation for seaborne attacks. Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network had one of its first major successes in Somalia, the ambush of U.S. peacekeeping forces that resulted in the slaughter of 19 American troops in 1993 in the famous "Blackhawk Down" Mogadishu raid. |
| Posted by:Jackal |
| #4 Yeah, I'd say 'salt to taste'. The liner may be owned by a U.S. company, but it's registered in the Bahamas. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-11-07 11:53 |
| #3 Contract it out. The Constitution provides Congress the authority. "To define and punish Piracies adn Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations. "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and War;" Haliburton Letters of Marque Division now forming. Looking to hire good bodied men with a love of the sea and adventure. Thar be Pirates, nort of o'Madagascar huntin Indianman out of Bombay. |
| Posted by: Whash Unick6318 2005-11-07 09:58 |
| #2 Or a big yacht filled with Navy Seals. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz (no T!) 2005-11-07 09:54 |
| #1 Why in heaven's name has someone not killed these assholes? Can we not spare one fighter plane or one blackhawk or one armed uav, or one measly hovercraft to go out and deep six these guys? |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2005-11-07 08:55 |