HOW SEYCHELLES CAPTURED 23 SUSPECTED PIRATES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT LOUIS 000146

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AF/E FOR MARIA BEYZEROV
AF/RSA FOR JUN BANDO AND MIKE BITTRICK
S/P FOR PETER HARELL
L FOR BUCHHOLS AND BINIAZ
ANTAN FOR DAO
NAIROBI FOR KUSLO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PBTS PHSA EWWT MARR MASS MOPS SO SE
SUBJECT: HOW SEYCHELLES CAPTURED 23 SUSPECTED PIRATES

REF: A. BLASER-DEPT SEYCHELLES PIRACY EMAILS MAY 5-6

B. PORT LOUIS 137


1. (U) On May 7, the Seychelles government-controlled daily
"Seychelles Nation" (or the "Nation") reported that since
April 28, the Seychelles Police Force has captured 23 Somali
pirates in its Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ),in three
separate operations carried out with the help of European and
Indian forces. In a press conference held on May 6, Police
Commissioner Ernest Quatre said that the three groups of
Somali pirates are being held in police custody and will
remain detained until formal charges are brought against them.
The investigation is progressing at a slow pace, mainly due to
the language barrier, said Quatre. The detainees received
medical care and a visit from the Red Cross upon their arrival
in Victoria.


2. (SBU) In the same article, the "Nation" reported that the
first nine pirates were captured on April 28 on the "northern
edge of SeychellesQ 1.3 million square kilometer EEZ" that
borders Somali waters. This operation was carried out with
the help of European and Indian naval forces and Seychellois
Coast Guard. The Numancia, a Spanish frigate, spotted the
boat and, with the help of French, Indian and Seychellois,
followed and captured the boat in the Seychelles territorial
waters. The nine pirates were handed over to the Seychellois
police and brought to Victoria aboard the Andromache, which
has a crew of 25. On May 6, a Coast Guard officer told
Emboffs the capture took place on the north-western (NW) edge
of the Seychelles EEZ.


3. (SBU) The Andromache was the only operational Seychellois
Coast Guard vessel until the recent return of the Coast Guard
ship Topaz. According to the Indian High Commissioner in
Seychelles who spoke to CDA on May 6, the Topaz, which was
originally given to GOS by the government of India, recently
received 1.4 million USD worth of repairs courtesy of India
and was returned to Seychelles only last week. The repairs
were necessary because of poor maintenance conducted by the
GOS caretakers, who lack the technical ability and supplies to
keep the handful of Coast Guard vessels in workable condition.


4. (U) According to a May 5 report in the "Nation," on May 2,
the French naval ship Nivose alerted the Andromache to the
presence of a six-meter boat carrying three Somali pirates in
the same NW EEZ area. The Seychellois forces captured the
boat and the three persons identified themselves as Somalis.
They were unarmed and offered no resistance. The Nivose is
part of the European Union naval operation "Atalanta."


5. (U) The same "Nation" report stated that on May 4 a joint
operation of the Seychelles PeopleQs Defense Force (SPDF) and
the Seychelles Police Force led to the capture of three small
skiffs carrying a total of 11 Somali men. The arrests
occurred near Marianne Island, approximately 33 miles North-
North East of Victoria and about five miles from the tourist
island of La Digue. (Note: Marianne Island is a frequent
boating daytrip destination for foreign tourists who wish to
snorkel and enjoy beach picnics. End Note.)


6. (U) Captain Jean Attala of the Seychelles Coast Guard, who
is also the Incident Operations Officer, was quoted as saying
"It is evident that the recent anti-piracy operations in the
western Indian Ocean have scattered the small pirate boats
from their mother ships, and some have drifted into
Seychelles' waters." Seychellois authorities found no
weapons, only cartridges, fishing rods, webbing, and other
articles suspected to be from previously pirated ships.


7. (SBU) On May 6, Seychelles Coast Guard Commanding Officer
Col Donald Gertrude told the CDA and PolChief that the
suspected pirates were non-aggressive, and young, with one
being just 15. "Someone must have briefed them on what to do
when intercepted, because they dumped their guns and
surrendered once we approached," said Gertrude. Other
Seychelles CG officials surmised to Emboffs that from their
malnourished looks and what they had aboard the skiffs, the
mother boat must supply the pirates with all needed equipment
and tell them not to return without a captured vessel. Two

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senior government officials recounted a similar story about
the initial sighting of these suspected pirates: that two
locals taking tourists to Marianne Island were approached by
the group, who asked the locals "which way is it to Somalia?"
Concerned, the locals called La Digue police and some hours
later the group was arrested by Seychellois authorities.
(Note: Photos of the captured QbrotherQ boat and two "baby"
skiffs, which are being held at the Seychelles Coast Guard
pier in Mahe, Seychelles, can be found at the following
intranet link:
. End Note.)

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) Some contacts believe the pirates are collaboratively
operating in four groups, with each taking one of four regions
of Seychelles waters and that the recent captures have, at a
minimum, disrupted two of the four cells currently operating
in the area. The spate of captures is both reassuring for
Seychelles, since significant numbers have been captured, and
disturbing evidence of the widening scope of the problem.

BLASER