Somalia pirates threaten to kill hostage in wake of Navy SEAL rescue
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- Pirates have moved American hostage three times in 24 hours after Wednesday's rescue
- 'If they try again, we will all die together,' a Somali pirate connected to the gang holding the hostage
- Rescued hostages are now at US. Naval Air Base in Sicily
Somali pirates have threatened to
kill an American hostage after a daring night-time U.S Navy SEAL mission
to rescue two foreign aid workers.
The pirates have moved the hostage at least three times in 24 hours in reaction to the rescue of the U.S. woman and Danish man.
Their response has now raised questions about whether other Western captives are now in greater danger.
'If they try again, we will all die
together,' warned Hassan Abdi, a Somali pirate connected to the gang
holding the American, who was kidnapped on Saturday in northern Somalia.
The pirates have moved the hostage at least three times in 24 hours in reaction to the rescue of the U.S. woman and Danish man.
Their response has now raised questions about whether other Western captives are now in greater danger.
Danger: The pirates have moved the American
hostage at least three times in 24 hours after U.S. Navy SEALs
parachuted into Somalia to rescue a US woman and Danish man earlier in
the week (graphic)
Mission: Two teams of U.S. Navy SEALs rescued
the hostages after a gun battle with the pirates in the middle of the
night (file picture)
'It's difficult to hold U.S.
hostages, because it's a game of chance: die or get huge money. But we
shall stick with our plans and will never release him until we get a
ransom,' Abdi said.
Overnight on Wednesday, U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia and hiked to the base where the pirates were holding 32-year-old American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane.
A gun battle ensued and nine of the pirates were killed. The hostages were freed unharmed. No casualties have been reported among the U.S. forces.
In response the gang holding the American kidnapped in the northern town of Galkayo have moved him three times, Abdi said.
'Holding hostages in one place is unlikely now because we are the next target,' he told The Associated Press by telephone.
He also expressed concern that the U.S. has pirate informants.
'It wasn't just a hit-and-run operation, but long planned with the help of insiders among us,' Abdi said, noting that the Americans struck at a time when the pirates were least on their guard.
U.S. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said officials have been in contact with the family of the latest American kidnapping victim.
'We are also working with our contacts in Kenya and in Somalia to try to get more information,' Nuland told reporters in Washington.
'Obviously we condemn kidnapping of any kind and call for the immediate release of the victims - any victims. We also would note that our travel warning for Somalia does caution U.S. citizens about the risk of travel.'
After their rescue, Miss Buchanan and Mr Thisted were flown to the U.S. Naval Air Base at Sigonella on the Italian island of Sicily to undergo medical screenings and other evaluations before heading home, a U.S. defense official said.
Miss Buchanan's family was meeting her at the base, which is the hub of U.S. Navy air operations in the Mediterranean.
The pair had been working for the Danish De-mining Group, part of the Danish Refugee Council, when they were abducted by gunmen near the north-central town of Galkay in October.
Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal said Miss Buchanan's poor health had led the U.S. to take action and the operation did not necessarily pave the way for further missions
An ailing Frenchwoman kidnapped by Somali gunmen died in captivity last year after not having access to her medication.
There is mixed opinion on the effect the U.S. raid will have on the situation with other
captives, with one pirate warning that other U.S. hostages might suffer as a
result.
However a Western official in Kenya said that the killings of the nine captors might make pirates think twice about taking more captives.
Overnight on Wednesday, U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia and hiked to the base where the pirates were holding 32-year-old American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane.
A gun battle ensued and nine of the pirates were killed. The hostages were freed unharmed. No casualties have been reported among the U.S. forces.
In response the gang holding the American kidnapped in the northern town of Galkayo have moved him three times, Abdi said.
'Holding hostages in one place is unlikely now because we are the next target,' he told The Associated Press by telephone.
He also expressed concern that the U.S. has pirate informants.
'It wasn't just a hit-and-run operation, but long planned with the help of insiders among us,' Abdi said, noting that the Americans struck at a time when the pirates were least on their guard.
U.S. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said officials have been in contact with the family of the latest American kidnapping victim.
Night-time rescue: The pirates kidnapped
32-year-old American Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a
60-year-old Dane in October
Held captive: Ms Buchanan, left, of Virginia, and Mr Thisted, right, are seen speaking in a hostage video
'We are also working with our contacts in Kenya and in Somalia to try to get more information,' Nuland told reporters in Washington.
'Obviously we condemn kidnapping of any kind and call for the immediate release of the victims - any victims. We also would note that our travel warning for Somalia does caution U.S. citizens about the risk of travel.'
After their rescue, Miss Buchanan and Mr Thisted were flown to the U.S. Naval Air Base at Sigonella on the Italian island of Sicily to undergo medical screenings and other evaluations before heading home, a U.S. defense official said.
Miss Buchanan's family was meeting her at the base, which is the hub of U.S. Navy air operations in the Mediterranean.
The pair had been working for the Danish De-mining Group, part of the Danish Refugee Council, when they were abducted by gunmen near the north-central town of Galkay in October.
Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal said Miss Buchanan's poor health had led the U.S. to take action and the operation did not necessarily pave the way for further missions
An ailing Frenchwoman kidnapped by Somali gunmen died in captivity last year after not having access to her medication.
Message: Barack Obama, who authorised the rescue
mission, called Miss Buchanan's father John to say: 'All Americans have
Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon
be reunited with her family'
However a Western official in Kenya said that the killings of the nine captors might make pirates think twice about taking more captives.
He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
On Wednesday evening, hours after the U.S. military raid, the gang holding the American hostage started circulating false rumours that they had executed him.
Another security official who has years of experience in the region said it was likely the men holding the American would move him onto a ship with other foreign hostages, because ships were easier to defend and planning rescue operations is more complicated when hostages from other countries are involved.
At least one pirate agreed with his analysis.
'I think land captivity is going to end now. Sea is much safer,' pirate Mohamed Nur said by phone from the coastal town of Hobyo. 'Even ships are not very safe, but you can at least hit back and resist.'
Other hostages held in Somalia include a British tourist and two Spanish aid workers seized in neighboring Kenya, a French military adviser and 155 sailors of various nationalities hijacked at sea.
On Wednesday evening, hours after the U.S. military raid, the gang holding the American hostage started circulating false rumours that they had executed him.
Another security official who has years of experience in the region said it was likely the men holding the American would move him onto a ship with other foreign hostages, because ships were easier to defend and planning rescue operations is more complicated when hostages from other countries are involved.
At least one pirate agreed with his analysis.
'I think land captivity is going to end now. Sea is much safer,' pirate Mohamed Nur said by phone from the coastal town of Hobyo. 'Even ships are not very safe, but you can at least hit back and resist.'
Other hostages held in Somalia include a British tourist and two Spanish aid workers seized in neighboring Kenya, a French military adviser and 155 sailors of various nationalities hijacked at sea.
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