Somali pirates recently seized a Spanish fishing boat and held its twenty-six-member crew hostage. The pirates released the crewmen after being paid a ransom reported at over one million dollars. With the prospects of such handsome payoffs, pirates have attacked everything from oil tankers to luxury yachts in the Gulf of Aden. Using speedboats and armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, the pirates’ attacks have become bolder and more frequent. According to the International Maritime Bureau, there have been thirty-one ships hijacked off the coast of Somalia last year, up from just two hijackings in 2004.

The African coast isn’t the only problem spot. This week, a Thai oil tanker was attacked in Malaysian waters near the Singapore Strait. The United States and France presented a draft resolution at the United Nations that would provide U.N. blessing to an aggressive campaign against pirates. The resolution would encourage countries to use "all necessary means to identify, prevent, and repress actions of piracy and armed robbery."

How grave is the threat of high-seas piracy, and what can be done to stop it?

Our Guests:

 Charles Dragonette, senior merchant shipping analyst, Office of Naval Intelligence, U.S. Navy    

 James Robbins, director, Intelligence Center, Trinity Washington University

 Pottengal Mukundan, director, International Maritime Bureau, International Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Crime Services

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