Somali pirates holding a Saudi supertanker after the largest seizure in maritime history have reduced their ransom demand to $15 million ransom, an Islamist leader said today, citing associates of the hijackers.
The pirates had originally been quoted as wanting $25 million to release the Sirius Star, which has $100 million of oil and 25 crew on board. But Islamist spokesman Abdirahim Isse Adow, whose men are in the Haradheere area where the ship is being held offshore, said that had been reduced.
"Middlemen have given a $15 million ransom figure for the Saudi ship. That is the issue now," Adow told Reuters.
It was reported yesterday that the pirates have moved the vessel because of the risk of Islamist attacks from groups opposed to piracy.
According to the Bloomberg news agency, the vessel had already been moved from Haradhere, north of Mogadishu after threats were made by Islamic Courts’ Union, which briefly ruled nearly all of Somalia in 2006.
The vessel is owned by a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's state-owned Saudi Aramco oil company. Saudi Arabia is home to Mecca and Medina, two of Islam's holiest sites.
Bloomberg quoted Sheikh Abdulaahi Osman, a commander of Al-Shabaab, as saying the pirates should release the Sirius Star or face armed conflict.
“Saudi is a Muslim country and it is a very big crime to hold Muslim property,” he said.
Agencies