Interesting story from AFP, 4/5/08.
The French military is trying to show that it is capable of doing something.
Pirates head for Somali lair as France plays waiting game
MOGADISHU (AFP) — Pirates who seized a French luxury cruise yacht and its 30-member crew in the Gulf of Aden were headed Saturday for their Indian Ocean lair off Puntland, northeast Somalia, local officials said.
UPDATE: 4/11/08
Exclusive: Six pirates detained after French luxury yacht freed with crew
April 11, 2008, 9:01 PM (GMT+02:00)
DEBKAfile’s shipping correspondent reports that the CMA-CGM company, owners of the luxury yacht Le Ponant seized in Somali waters a week ago, did not deny paying ransom for the release of the 32-member crew and yacht. At the same time, the elite French GIGN force was able to capture 6 of the 10 pirates after a brief exchange of fire on the shore near the Somali town of Garacad and put them aboard the French helicopter carrier Jean d’Arc, which was standing by.
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