MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A heavily armed U.S. destroyer was stationed off the coast of Somalia on Sunday, making sure pirates there don’t remove tanks, ammunition and other heavy weapons from a hijacked Ukrainian cargo ship. A man claiming to be a spokesman for the pirates says they want $35 million to free the cargo ship Faina and warned of dire consequences if any military action was taken to try to free the ship. Pirates seized the Ukrainian-operated ship Thursday as it traveled to Kenya.
U.S. destroyer monitoring hijacked ship off Somalia
By The Associated Press
September 27, 2008