Somali pirates may have Al Qaeda links

Somalia's pirates linked to Al Qaeda update

The Coast Guard on Thursday said there are three more pirate groups active in the Indian waters while handing over the 28 pirates it caught on Sunday to the Mumbai police.Inspector general of Coast Guard SPS Basra said while they have neutralised two pirate groups there are three more operating outside India's exclusive economic zone.The pirates were caught on Sunday following an SoS call from a merchant ship, which the pirates had tried to board about 160 kilometres from the Lakshadweep Islands. The Indian Navy on receiving the distress call had responded swiftly and engaged the pirates.The cornered pirates on board another hijacked mother ship Prantalay 11, surrendered after throwing their sophisticated weapons such as AK-47s and RPGs in to the sea.There have been more than 10 pirate attacks in Indian waters in the past one month alone.
Basra said defence officials have warned that though no evidence has been found to indicate links between the pirates and terrorist organisations such as al-Qaeda and LeT, the proximity of the attacks, the knowledge of routes they possess and the weapons they wield pose a security threat to India." It is definitely a huge security threat and we are prepared for it, which is why whenever we find that the pirates have come in to our waters we take action and bring them to trial here," a defence official said.
The latest arrest also freed 24 Thai fishermen who were held captive on board Prantalay 11 for almost nine months. The fishermen were being held in lieu of a ransom of around Rs 41 crore and were kept as prisoners when the owner expressed his inability to pay up. Coast guard officials said two Thai fishermen had died. The pirates had treated them inhumanely, beating them up and not giving them any food.
The captured pirates will face murder and attempt to murder charges in Mumbai. india today