"Pirates" Seize Boatload of Oil From Saudis
Drudge is linking to a couple of stories, today, about Somalian "Pirates" who have hijacked a Saudi ship containing $100 million worth of crude oil, 1/4 of Saudi Arabia's daily output.
The Saudi Royal Family condemned Somali pirates as terrorists today after losing $100 million worth of oil in an audacious heist that saw bandits seize a supertanker in the Arabian Sea.
The Sirius Star, which was carrying two million barrels of oil, a quarter of the Kingdom's daily output, was captured with its multi-national crew, including two Britons, 450 miles off the coast of Kenya on Sunday.
The hijack was the biggest ever act of piracy in the perilous shipping lanes off the east coast of Africa. Vela International, the ship’s owners, said today that the crew were safe and that their response team was awaiting further contact with the gang.
The furious Saudi foreign minister said the banditry was akin to terrorism and demanded an international crackdown on the pirates.
Yes, just what we need, more international action, taken in tandem with an extremist Muslim nation.
And yes, these "Pirates" certainly are audacious.
Look at all the stories of piracy circling today:
HONG KONG CARGO SHIP HIJACKED BY PIRATES... DEVELOPING...
Danish oil ship briefly seized off Nigeria... Developing...
PIRATES CAPTURE SUPERTANKER WITH $100 MILLION CARGO...
Open negotiations...
Saudis brand pirates 'terrorists' ...call for international action
US Admiral 'stunned' by pirates' reach...
Ay, matey.
Reliapundit sent me an email questioning whether it is possible that these "piracy" operations are the work of the CIA, giving them a cloak for boarding and inspecting ships in international waters.
That could be.
Personally, as the piracy has increased in recent weeks, I've been wondering if, perhaps, these pirates are like "Contraband launderers" or Illegal Customs Agents, who check cargo while it's out at sea, by seizing it, making payment, and then delivering it to its intended destination;
Al Qaeda in Africa.
My theory is they aren't stealing. They are contraband laundering middlemen, designed to help the Saudis transfer goods to the Jihadis with a cover.
Think about it this way. In recent weeks, we have seen a ship containing apparent nuclear materials from Iran seized by "Pirates" and then disappear. And now, a Saudi ship containing the proverbial boatload of oil, seized.
Will it disappear?
Or, will something actually be done about it?
Stay tuned.
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