U.S. Making Weapons Lasers To Face Pirates

Navy United States to test a new laser weapon that can shoot targets up to many miles at sea. This weapon is expected to block the actions of Somali pirates in Gulf of Aden. The laser beam is more on target than the bullet.

Reporting from the page the Associated Press, Wednesday, April 13, 2011, this laser weapon test conducted off the coast of California. Lethal laser weapon mounted on the deck of a ship defense trial Navy, USS Paul Foster. Laser fired from a distance to a small motor boat and cause a fire that later burned.

According to the Director of the U.S. Navy's armament research center, Michael Deitchman, the laser beam about the size of a baseball can reach distances up to many miles at sea.

Deitchman said that the laser is useful to stop the small pirate boats from approaching U.S. warships. In addition, the laser also can repel pirates or even incapacitate.

"The laser beam can be done for assault, or can also lowered the rate to be not dangerous, just a bright light that tells the pirates that they had been targeted," Deitchman said.

He said there are two advantages when compared to other weapons laser. Laser said was right on target, unlike a bullet that could have been missed. In addition, the laser intensity can be regulated, whether deadly or not dangerous at all.

The laser beam was developed in cooperation between the U.S. Navy with armament company Northrop Grumman, which will cost upwards of $ 98 million.

Deitchman said that laser weapons are opening the way for subsequent development of laser weapons more powerful. He revealed that the next project from the U.S. is a laser beam with power up to megawatt that can break or supersonic ballistic missile attack.

"This shows once again that we can destroy objects with a laser at sea, and this makes us confident going forward with this energy system," Deitchman said.

How to Somali pirates arrested

Somalia on March 16, 2011 managed to hijack ships PT. Samudera Indonesia is manned by 20 crew (ABK). Run out of food and medicines, their situation is now becoming critical. Rezky Judiana, daughter of one of the captured crew, Slamet Juari, reveals the condition of his father and several other prisoners of the more alarming. Based on communication with the father, the pirates restrict their eating and drinking.

After negotiations between the crew and the pirates, finally agreed to their ransom was reduced to U.S. $ 3 million. Previously, the pirates demanded a ransom of up to U.S. $ 3.5 million Meanwhile, the Samudra Indonesian , represented by vice president director, David Coal, said that this is not about ransom. However, he was not sure whether the Samudra Indonesia have set up the ransom or not.

Samudera Indonesia has asked the families of the crew was not too worried. Because, "In more than 200 documented cases of hijacking the hijackers never hurt, unless there is resistance from the crew."

Previously, similar cases also have experienced by our neighbor country, Malaysia, on 22 January. At that time, the robbers Somalia has successfully mastered Malaysian-flagged ship in the Gulf of Aden. However, thanks to the alertness of the Malaysian navy is patrolling the area, the pirates had been paralyzed.

Royal Malaysian Navy said troops injured three people pirate his command in the crossfire and had rescued 23 crew of MT Bunga from pirates who stormed the ship with weapons pistols and rifles. The presence of Malaysian Navy in the Gulf of Aden to escort vessel function related to the interests of the neighbor country. The attack came just two hours after the navy left the MT Bunga after escorting the ship to an area considered relatively safe in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, about 500 kilometers off the east coast of Oman.

The success story of the rescue citizens from pirates also made by South Korea, a day before the success of Malaysia, 21 January 2011. Raid conducted after the ship was tracked his existence since the hijacked on 15 January. At that time the South Korean special forces stormed the ship Samho Jewelery which brings tens of thousands of tons of chemicals. Raid managed to rescue crew numbered 21 people, two of them are Indonesian citizens.

Malaysia and South Korea since 2009 and was incorporated in the security task force cargo ships in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, the waters of the so-called hot zone piracy. They joined in a joint task force consisting of 151 combined combat forces over 20 countries. Among them are Singapore, South Korea, Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Pakistan, Britain and the United States.

Somali Pirates Most Popular On Earth

The waters off the coast of Somalia is the most piracy-prone hot spot on earth. Where the pirates could come anytime. Appears as combat troops. Carrying a machine gun, carrying a basket of grenades, block and hijack passing ships.

In addition to the seized cargo ship - although that is rare - the main purpose of the pirates was actually a ransom. They understand very well that a passing ship there is a boat business, which includes merchandise belonging to large corporations.

That's why they call numbers easily billions if bypasses ransom. If the employers do not want to, they push the country of origin of the vessel. Yes only goal ransom.

That is also now occurring with 20 Children Fruit Ship (ABK) Holy Light of PT Samudera Indonesia. They asked for a ransom of 3 million dollars. Indonesia reported that 20 people were stressed, less healthy meals and increasingly critical.

Although the ships were passing in the international sea, the hijackers were going to drive them into the sea of ??Somalia. And that's troublesome. Somalia's government can not be expected under these conditions, although the world to force them to act.

The reason is that the country was facing the open sea, constantly embroiled in disputes. Let alone taking care of the fate of hijacked vessels, the ruling power there is always at the edge of a cliff. Can coup anytime.

Transitional government is still struggling to face upheaval and anarchy rule the masses, since warlords overthrew military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Murders, kidnappings became commonplace occurrence there.

Virtually, the pirates are the new jobs for young people of Somalia. Consider just the recognition of one of the pirates, Muse Abdulrashid Mohammed told Al Jazeera.

"I want to say to the media and the international community that we do this because the needs and conditions without a job. Our lives are destroyed, the cause is the collapse of the Somali government."

However, undeniable, a pirate is the way to a luxurious life wallowing treasure. For example, Adani, at the age of 19 years he has stately homes and large trucks because of a pirate.

Whereas the previous two years, he lived on the streets of Bossaso town. "If you do not have anything, people will hate you. But you will be respected if you have money," said he, like loaded AP.

Shipments millions of dollars in ransom money has changed the lives of Muslim communities on the coast of Somalia. Newly created gaps, between a wealthy pirate groups with non-pirates are getting poorer.

This is the lifestyle of Somali pirates: big houses, cool cars, beautiful women, and narcotics - which has been criticized both religious leaders and villagers.

"The use of illicit drugs like marijuana, drinking alcohol, sex, and other annoying behaviors become the norm for the pirates. This cause social problems," said Sheikh Ahmed, leader of the mosque in the town of Galkayo, like loaded AP. "This is more worrying for us, rather than the threat that they generate for the foreign crew."

Money was changing the face of Somalia. A paved road divides the city of Bossaso, the new hotels, and newer buildings lined up on its edge. Cars SUVs and luxury cars made in Asia and then ply the streets. American songs, Somalia, and India roar of a car tape.

Anshud businessman said Thursday that the entry of millions of dollars in stolen money to make the price of shoes, clothes, and cosmetics crept up.

New credit system in force, the pirates do not have to pay cash when buying goods. They are allowed to take goods on credit, with high prices, and pay off their debt if the ransom money already in hand.

"The pirates pay in dollars and not have to bother bargaining," said Abdullahi Khadra, a seller in Bossaso. "They often do not take my change, as if money is not meaningful."

Leading elders Bossaso, Mohamud Suldan Aw-nor say, clerics and village elders did not approve the pirate lifestyle. However, they are helpless, mantra 'I'm going to be a pirate' is often used by teenagers to threaten their parents, if they will not be met.

Mating systems have also been influenced by pirates with a heavy bag. "Hundreds of cars escorting the bride to the location of the reception, the newlyweds a house crowded with expensive furniture, and the bride wore expensive gold jewelry," said Shamso Ahmed, owner of a beauty salon. Thousands of dollars paid to the family of the bride as a dowry.

"The pirates wasted no time to seduce women, but pay them a lot," said Sahro Mohamed. "They do this to several girls at once, I know that."

Meanwhile, journalist Spanish daily, El Mundo that managed to penetrate the center of pirates in the City of Harardhere also witnessed something similar. The city has a population of 6,000 people was so central 'Orgy, money, shooting, and sex'

"Yesterday they celebrated their eighth wedding, all the groom is a pirate," said a hotel owner.

He said, most pirates had three or more wives. their number depending on the amount of loot. Married the pirate has been a dream for most local women.

The pirates can enjoy the convenience of not accessible to citizens of other Harardhere. Their homes is one of the few residential electricity, using a generator that was stolen from the ship.

"Women need love and money, and pirates have money, and they show their love," said Khabibo Salad, the wife of a pirate.