Thaindian News

London, Apr 12 (ANI): Royal Navy officials have been accused of providing captured Somali pirates with halal meat, medical checks, cigarettes and in one case even a nicotine patch before releasing them to their boats.

The 17 outlaws were armed with an arsenal of AK 47s and rocket-propelled grenades, and had forced hostages on a hijacked fishing vessel to work as slaves for three months.

However, instead of bringing them to justice, Maritime Component Commander based in Bahrain to the decision to release the pirates after considering UK policy and law, the Daily Mail reports.

The revelation has come as Somali piracy is causing mayhem to shipping in the Indian Ocean.

The incident had come to light in February when the captain of a merchant ship crossing the ocean radioed to say he had seen something suspicious. Later it was spotted that a Yemeni fishing vessel, which was hijacked by pirates, was being used as their ‘mother ship’ to attack other vessels.

Armed Royal Marines launched boats and swooped on the pirates, who were found with nine AK 47s plus rocket-propelled grenade launchers and boarding ladders. Seventeen pirates were detained on board the warship.

The paper quoted Commander David Wilkinson, Cornwall’s captain, as saying that: “This team admitted their intention was to commit piracy activities. But after compiling the evidence against them and submitting it to his superiors he was ordered to ’set up arrangements for putting them ashore in Somalia.”

According to reports, the pirates were given a medical check-up in accordance with UK law and food, before being released.

Commander Wilkinson also said he believes that the decision to free the pirates was the ‘right’ because there was not enough evidence to convict the pirates even though they were heavily armed, were carrying hostages and had confessed. (ANI)