The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a “consultant” team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.
The document, obtained by Cadena SER radio, says the team and the pirates remain in contact by satellite telephone.
It says that pirate groups have “well-placed informers” in London who are in regular contact with control centres in Somalia where decisions on which vessels to attack are made. These London-based “consultants” help the pirates select targets, providing information on the ships’ cargoes and courses.
In at least one case the pirates have remained in contact with their London informants from the hijacked ship, according to one targeted shipping company.
The pirates’ information network extends to Yemen, Dubai and the Suez canal.
Found by John Ligums.
This is interesting. At the beginning of the battle for the Atlantic, Germany accessed maritime insurance communications (legally) to find out what ships were leaving when, to the UK from NY. This info was passed along to Admiral Karl Donitz’s command…
So.
Satellite phones need a service provider.
Sending or receiving requires a paid for subscription.
ALL use of the satellite is recorded and charged to someone.
Subscribers have names and other locations on record.
Is it REALLY rocket science to identify and locate these?
Seemingly so if you have the intelligence of a dyslexic mushroom.
Clear to me that the ‘intelligence’ services are staffed with Elmer Fuds, not James Bonds. The odd success pays for lots of time-servers.
But of course, even if we know exactly who they are, the modern preference is to leave them operating because that enables the ‘intelligence’ services to add to their information pool.
Truly, by example, collection and storage of information is now deemed to be more important than apprehension, trial and conviction – or – in the old fashioned way of looking at things by the old plod coppers – crime prevention!
Anyone think like me that those in charge shouldn’t be in charge of anything more demanding than a wheelchair?
God forbid that this crime – any crime – should be prevented or reduced. What would these time-servers do then? Where would they get their toys? Who would pay for their retirement (early retirement) and pensions.
No. Keep the game going, don’t rock the boat, don’t want to lose our jobs, do we?
Hmmm. Who is the principal insurer for maritime trade? Who would have better data on shipping schedules and manifests of cargo? Whose employees are well versed in global communication? Can you say “Lloyd’s of London”? There’s a leak the size of Niagara Falls.
Ive always been saying this is somewhat an inside job. But my angle has to do with PMC’s. Create the problem, then offer the solution. Could be alot of money had protecting shipping from pirates in that part of the world.
Is there any malevolency in the world that British banks or intelligence are not connected to? Shall we count the ways?
The East India Company – their op start to finish
The Red Soviets – funded
The Nazi’s – funding and aristocratic support
The Muslim Brotherhood – funding and logistics
Pirates – logistics and intelligence.
Heckuva job, UK!
Information from a Spanish FM radio station, undocumented and unverified, printed as intelligence by that left wing one eyed parochial toilet rag, The Guardian? I suspect the Somalian pirates aren’t using that information source.
I guess they could be getting inside information. Or, perhaps, they could just be looking on the Internet.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/
This site shows all ships in all oceans, relatively current location, course, speed, type of ship and so on.
It now is blank around the Somali coast but it was not back when I first found the site last December. I think blanking them around the pirate area has happened in the past 2 months or so.
So, if you are a pirate, look at the map, figure what kind of ship you want to capture today, figure out where it will be in 6-8 hours or however long it takes to get there, and have at it.
Even Somalis know about GPS and the Internet.
Finding the ships ain’t rocket science.
John Henry
http://www.changeover.com
It figures. Pirates have had such contacts in the past.
Were they wearing orange and yelling, “whoooooo!!!”??? That will surely make a boat sink. End of pirates!
would not surprise me in the least.
-s
Its the professionals versus the amateurs in this case the professionals with the professional advice , hardware and expertise are the amateurs
Would explain where most of the millions collected in ransom dissappeared to.