Posted by
mgraves on Monday, May 25, 2009 5:17:51 PM
Some 200 Somali pirates have
given up the life. They are also urging other pirates to do the same. Apparently the pirates of Somalia are corrupting their communities.
One such pirate, Mr Abdullah, who formerly operated out of the semi-autonomous region of Somalia called Puntland (considering there is no government, isn't everything autonomous?) has been offered amnesty in exchange for his retirement, ""I understand the wrong things that I was involved in and I'm aware now these acts are wrong in Islamic teachings.""
I'm not entirely certain that that is re-assuring, considering what the Taliban, AQI, and others have claimed is permissible, under Islam. (I'm fairly certain that Mohammed's career in Medina was initially financed by raiding the land trade routes, and if Mohammed is a model for Muslims, is not raiding/piracy not only permissible, but required? But, heck, I'm no scholar).
Perhaps a more likely explanation is that the NATO warships in the area have made piracy too high risk of a proposition.
Two more vessels suspected of carrying pirates were boarded, after being stopped by a Canadian Frigate, and the weapons were confiscated. That is correct. The tools of the trade--"firearms and rocket-propelled grenades, as well as equipment such as hook ladders"--were confiscated, and the alleged pirates were released.
Weren't pirates hanged back in the day?