September 08, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 07, 1429

BOSASSO (Somalia), Sept 7: An unidentified warship off pirate-ridden Somali waters captured 14 pirates and destroyed their boat, a minister of the northern Puntland region said on Sunday.

Abdulqadir Muse Yusuf, fisheries minister for the semi-autonomous region, said the pirate vessel met a warship “that we think could be American” and all the pirates on board were captured and their boat destroyed.

However, the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, said there was no American involvement in the operation.

Yusuf said local authorities were still investigating the identity of the warship.”

Two French nationals were seized in their yacht in the perilous waters on Tuesday and the French navy has said it is ready to try to free them, although their safety came first.

The two captives were safe in a hill village 750 km east of Bosasso, Puntland’s capital, a man who said he was the pirates’ servant told Reuters on Sunday.

“The French tourists, whose boat was also hijacked, are now held inside the hilly areas of Habo village. They are safe and healthy,” Abdinur Farah told Reuters from the deck of a seized Iranian ship.

He said the Iranian ship with 28 crew members including two Russians, two Pakistanis and a Syrian would soon be freed once the $2 million ransom agreed upon was paid.

“The bargaining about the ransom is over and pirates are just waiting for the money,” he said.—Reuters