Aceh tops piracy attacks: Report<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
The on-going separatist violence in Indonesia's Aceh province is
\na leading contributor to piracy in Southeast Asia, an
\ninternational watchdog has said.<\/p>\n
The Piracy Reporting Center said worldwide actual or attempted
\npiracy attacks from January to December 2001 was 335, down 29
\npercent from the all time high of 469 posted in the previous
\nyear. In 1998 it was 300.<\/p>\n
Indonesia accounted for 91 incidents and another 17 occurred
\nin the busy Malacca Straits separating Southeast Asia's biggest
\ncountry from Malaysia, said the Kuala Lumpur-based center in an
\nannual report.<\/p>\n
\"The shipping industry hopes that the Indonesian authorities
\nwill increase their efforts, without which the area will always
\nremain high risk,\" it said.<\/p>\n
\"During the year, a new trend in piracy emerged in the
\nnorthern part of the Malacca Straits in the waters off Aceh.
\nPirates attacked and kidnapped crew members demanding ransom for
\ntheir safe returns.\"<\/p>\n
The report said the Free Aceh Movement, which had threatened
\nto disrupt shipping in the Malacca Straits was blamed for the
\nkidnapping incidents by the Indonesian authorities.<\/p>\n
The report also said that ships carrying huge payloads of
\nhighly flammable natural gas could be hijacked by terrorists and
\nused in suicide attacks.<\/p>\n
\"After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., there is
\nnow a real fear that terrorists could use a ship as a weapon.
\nSecurity should become a top priority for the maritime industry.\"<\/p>\n
Oil tankers or ships carrying liquefied natural gas or
\nliquefied petroleum gas could be hijacked by terrorists \"to
\nundergo suicide missions for their cause,\" the report said,
\nadding: \"Forged ship documents and crew travel documents can
\neasily be obtained.\"<\/p>\n
Piracy attacks in India are ranked second highest with 27
\nattacks and Bangladesh is third with 25 attacks.<\/p>\n
\"Both countries have seen a reduction in the number of attacks
\nas compared to year 2000 due to increased patrols,\" it said.<\/p>\n
The center, which is operated by the British-based
\nInternational Maritime Bureau, said Malaysia and Nigeria recorded
\n19 attacks each.<\/p>\n
Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Tanzania have shown a
\nmarked increase in attacks. \"Piracy is on the increase in
\nAfrica.\"<\/p>\n
Malacca Straits has seen a remarkable drop in the number of
\npiracy attacks to 17 compared to 75 in 2000. \"This is due to
\nvigilant patrols particularly the Royal Malaysian Marine Police.\"<\/p>\n
The center said the incidents of hijackings rose to 16 as
\ncompared to eight previously, mainly involving crime syndicates.
\nWhile the number of crew killed in 2001 fell to 21 as compared to
\n72, incidents of crew being assaulted have risen along with the
\nuse of firearms.<\/p>\n
\"The number of attacks using guns rose from 51 to 73 and the
\nnumber using knives fell from 132 to 105. Thus, increased
\nviolence to crew continues to be a worrying factor,\" it said.<\/p>\n
Narrating some of the serious incidents, the center cited the
\nattack and hijack of the Indonesian flag vessel MV Inabukwa last
\nMarch by armed pirates.<\/p>\n
The vessel was bound for Singapore with goods valued $2.2
\nmillion. The master and 22 crewmembers were forced to leave the
\nship and left on an unmanned Indonesian island.<\/p>\n
Last August, a Honduras flagged TB Ocean Silver transporting a
\ncargo of coal near the coast of Aceh was attacked and hijacked by
\narmed pirates and forced the 12 crew members to sail the vessel
\nto a port in east Aceh.<\/p>\n
P. Mukundan, director of the Londan-based International
\nMaritime Bureau pressed Interpol and regional police to prosecute
\ncaptured pirates and hijackers and to track down the leaders.<\/p>\n
\"Captured pirates awaiting trial are usually foot-soldiers of
\nlarger and well organized syndicates. The real challenge is to go
\nafter those behind ship hijacking and crew violence incidents,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Shipowners were also urged to fit the second generation of
\nShiploc device, which can be concealed on board and report a
\nvessel's position up to 15 times a day.<\/p>",
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