French navy foils Somali pirate attack: military

PARIS (AFP) - The French navy on Tuesday foiled an attack on a cargo ship in the pirate-infested waters off Somalia and arrested nine men allegedly trying to board the vessel, the military said here.The French frigate Le Floreal received a distress call from the African Ruby and dispatched a helicopter which spotted two high-speed skiffs with armed men on board, a military spokesman said.The chopper fired warning shots and the nine men on the skiffs were later detained, he said, adding that the interception took place in international waters off Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of northeast Somalia.It was not immediately known what country the African Ruby is registered in...more..http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090127/world/somalia_unrest_piracy_france
Japan sends navy to fight Somali pirates
TOKYO — Japan on Wednesday ordered its ships to join the international fight against pirates off the shores of Somalia — a move that has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers who fear it could draw the country into military operations prohibited by its pacifist constitution.
The post-Second World War charter limits Japan's military to conducting defensive operations. Its naval ships can only be deployed to protect Japanese boats and their crew. Ruling party members have argued that the battle against piracy is more a crime-fighting operation than a military one.
But opposition lawmakers have expressed concern that Japanese ships could be pressed into protecting foreign ships in an emergency.
Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Wednesday the ships were only being sent to protect Japanese commercial vessels — though the government says none have thus far been hijacked. Pirates have fired at three Japanese vessels. No one was injured.
Mr. Hamada did not say how many Japanese ships would be sent or when, and said his dispatch order was an interim measure until Parliament passes a formal law outlining the ships' activities in their mission.more...http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090128.wjapannavy0128/BNStory/International/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20090128.wjapannavy0128