Kenyan ship and crew still being held

A Kenyan-registered ship and its crew hijacked off the northeastern coast of Somalia in late July is still being held by its captors, a local journalist told IRIN on Thursday. The ship, the MV Bihari, is being held in the coastal town of Eyl, 150 km southeast of Garowe, the capital of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia. The captors are reportedly demanding US $700,000, while Somali representatives of the owners are offering US $500,000, said Adan Abdirahman Dolar, editor of the Garowe-based 'Nugal Times'. Dolar said the captors were also insisting on keeping the ship's consignment of lobsters, fish and shark fins, "which probably is worth more than the ransom".

In another development the Mombasa-based Seafarer's Assistance Programme (SAP), said it was worried about the safety of 17 Kenyan fishermen who are among the ship's crew of 32, the Kenyan newspaper 'Daily Nation' reported on Thursday. SAP was concerned that the US might carry out attacks against Somalia in response to the 11 September terror mounted by alleged Islamic extremists, which would put the lives of the Kenyans at risk, said the 'Daily Nation'. Among organisations whose assets were frozen by the US government, is the Somalia-based Al-Ittihad Al-Islami group. The SAP called for immediate intervention by the Kenyan government, reported the newspaper.