Security

2.2, kidnap negotiations

Somalia: the Philippine government said it would enter into negotiations with Somalian pirates who hijacked the Panamanian registered product tanker Lin I , manned by 19 Filipinos. News of the government’s intention to take a more active role followed reports that one of the Filipino hostages had died in captivity. The reported death of one of the hostages could not be immediately confirmed but the government was trying to contact the ship’s owners, who had been negotiating with the hostage takers. The developments represent a reversal of the government’s previous position of playing down the crisis and having the ship owners take the lead in negotiating with the pirates. The government was forced to take a more active role after the wives of the kidnapped crew members went public about their plight. But while all diplomatic efforts would be exhausted to secure the release of the hostages, the government said it was drawing the line at paying a ransom. The hostage takers were reported to have demanded US$500,000.