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Somali pirates threaten to kill hostages

MADRID (UPI) -- Somali pirates holding the crew of a Spanish fishing vessel are threatening to kill captives taken ashore unless their demands are met, relatives say.

The captives told their relatives in a brief phone conversation that the pirates were following through on their threat by removing three crewmembers from the ship, The New York Times reported Friday.

The pirates want the Spanish government to release two of their cohorts who were captured by Spanish Special Forces one day after the Alakrana was hijacked off Somalia on Oct. 2.

"If in two days there are no signs that those two Somalis are being sent back here, they are going to kill them and immediately take another three hostages," Alakrana Capt. Richard Blach told Spanish television.

Spanish defense minister, Carme Chacon, says the pirates are using the relatives' anguish to gain the upper hand.

Sixteen Spaniards are among the Alakrana's 36 crewmembers.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 11/06/2009

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