East Carolina University
Posted on 04/12/2009 11:00:01 AM PDT by bimboeruption
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) - An American ship captain was freed unharmed Sunday in a U.S. Navy operation that killed three of the four Somali pirates who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa, a senior U.S. intelligence official said. One of the pirates was wounded and in custody after a swift firefight, the official said.
Capt. Richard Phillips, 53, of Underhill, Vermont, was safely transported to a Navy warship nearby.
The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
A government official and others in Somali with knowledge of the situation had reported hours earlier that negotiations for Phillips' release had broken down.
The district commissioner of the central Mudug region said talks went on all day Saturday, with clan elders from his area talking by satellite telephone and through a translator with Americans, but collapsed late Saturday night.
"The negotiations between the elders and American officials have broken down. The reason is American officials wanted to arrest the pirates in Puntland and elders refused the arrest of the pirates," said the commissioner, Abdi Aziz Aw Yusuf. He said he organized initial contacts between the elders and the Americans.
Two other Somalis, one involved in the negotiations and another in contact with the pirates, also said the talks collapsed because of the U.S. insistence that the pirates be arrested and brought to justice.
Phillips' crew of 19 American sailors reached safe harbor in Kenya's northeast port of Mombasa on Saturday night under guard of U.S. Navy Seals, exhilarated by their freedom but mourning the absence of Phillips.
Crew members said their ordeal had begun with the Somali pirates hauling themselves up from a small boat bobbing on the surface of the Indian Ocean far below.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
What a WONDERFUL Easter gift! Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue!
Excellent news.
Bingo.
Just hearing about this news now.
Way to go soldiers!
Pirates lost, 3-1 in extra innings.
Others say it was 4-0.
I'd hang him and show the video at the next White House press conference, but that's just me.
If these people are giving orders, why don't they do the work, too? I didn't think the FIBbies liked sharing the glory.
Maybe the chef and obie were working on strategery.
Is it possible that the capsule skin is relatively thin and that infrared body-heat imaging was key in this???
Just asking, I’m still mystified how they could get 3 clear headshots if the pirates were inside the capsule.
Where are the guys on here who said, "Have you ever tried to shoot a guy in a rocking boat while you are standing on a rocking boat?"
My answer is, "No."
But if this story is true, these snipers can say, "Yes, at least once if I recall. And I do believe I scored."
Burn the bodies on board and tow the boat back to shore.
Yeah!!! Nod to Obama for giving our guys to green light. Nobody can say we didn’t give ‘em a chance either (not that they deserved one anyways)
East Carolina University
"Our SEALS are the baddest MOFO's on the planet. Our Navy aviators are the best on the planet. This is a GREAT DAY, shipmate."I second that Sir.
Hey, I bet that explains crime and violence in the US! It's the fault of the police because they arrest the bad guys! Take away their guns, baton, and tasers.
Your damned skippy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DO NOT TREAD ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO NAVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Don't mess with the the big boys!!!!
Yep. We bagged a bunch today and the French got some too. Didn’t an Aussie chopper take out a boat yesterday too? Making the pirates insurance go up lol.
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