FBI in hostage talks with Somalis ( Holding captain of American crewed ship)

BBC ^ | 9 April 2009 16:00 UK 15:00 GMT, Thursday, | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

FBI in hostage talks with Somalis

Capt Phillips apparently offered himself as a hostage to save his crew The US Navy has called in FBI hostage negotiators to help secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean. Capt Richard Phillips was taken from the Maersk Alabama cargo ship after it was briefly seized by pirates. Officials said a US warship had arrived in the area and was remaining in sight of the lifeboat during the tense talks. Relatives of the Maersk Alabama crew told US media the ship was now sailing to Mombasa in Kenya under armed guard. 'Dead in the water' FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said the navy had called his hostage experts "to assist with negotiations". He said the FBI was now "fully engaged in this matter". The pirates took the lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama when they fled the ship after being fought off by the American crew. Analysts have said the negotiations could be lengthy, with the pirates keen to extract a ransom for the captain as well as compensation for a boat that was wrecked in the attack. And the lifeboat is thought to be equipped for a week at sea, although the ship's owners, Maersk, said it had run out of petrol and was "dead in the water".

[PzLdr]

Try an “Caesar and the Pirates” approach.

[thefactor]

ok, as the FBI negotiates, have SEAL Team 6 come up from behind and double tap that freak.

[mort56]

Millions for defense not one penny for tribute!!! Kill the bastards and bury their bodies in pig blood!

[reagandemocrat]

God bless Capt. Phillips....

and to hell with Muslim pirates.

[Oldpuppymax]

I would dearly love to be in charge of the negotiations. I fear this brave captain would not not come out of it alive. But Somali Pirates would become a footnote in history. Of course with Hussein leading the way, we’ll be fortunate to retain most of our naval vessels.

[Doe Eyes]

Kill the bastards and bury their bodies in pig blood!

Some would like to see the hostage survive.

[catman67]

And exactly what authority does the FBI have in international waters?

[golf lover]

My take is to give them the ransom, give them a new boat, and get the captain back safely. Then when they speed away, send a drone after them and blow them out of the F****ING water and back to allah (intentional small a)!

[tiredoflaundry]

Prayers for Capt. Phillips and his family.

[papasmurf]

I wonder if 0bama gave them orders to negotiate and not to harm the terrorists?

WWRRD?

(What would Ronald Reagan do?)

[thefactor]

it’s an american ship and an american citizen. would you prefer the UN?

[The KG9 Kid]

Remember when Joe Biden predicted that Obama will be tested by international crisis in the first six months of his presidency?

Seems like Obama can't handle three skinny Africans in a rowboat even with the entire US Navy backing him up.

Associated Press: Obama declines to answer question on piracy

[Bean Counter]

[ZX12R]

This seems like a pretty pathetic response to me.

[Houghton M.]

Uh, I think they can anticipate that outcome as well as you can. So they’re not likely to agree to release the captain until they and their ransom are in some way “safe.”

Now, if God Almighty would send a “drone” after them in their supposed “safe haven” after they’d released the captain, . . . I, for one, would not hold it against God Almighty in the least.

But God doesn’t always do what we wish He’d do. This is a real bad situation for the captain. God bless him and his family.

[brushcop]

God bless and protect Capt. Phillips. Offered himself as hostage for his crew, what an example to emulate. So here we are dealing with the demons of Somalia again and yet another goofy Leftist in power.

Like the other posters on this thread, I say rescue Capt. Phillips with whatever means necessary and then destroy Somalia with extreme prejudice. Payback is LONG overdue for that scum.

[Tarheel]

A Robin Woods (?) from the State Dept is on FNC now. This is the most uninformed people I have heard in a long time. I recognize there is State Dept. ‘speak’ but this guy does seem to be a 40 watt bulb in a place that demands a 100 watt.

[fleagle]

I back your plan 110%.

[NavyCanDo]

F.B.I ? You have got to be kidding me.

This is the only message we should be sending the Pirates:

You can surrender now or add another verse to the Marine Corps Hymn.