25 - 31 January 2014 (Vol. 3; No.5/14) This Week's Newsletter : Nexus Consulting Group Securing Your Future Throughout The World New Year, New Sponsors required - Click Ask us how you can be a sponsor of this newsletter in 2014 - click here. Feedback on the newsletter is welcomed too. Attacks, kidnapping in Nigeria, MEND shows up, and confusing hijack story; Three Indians released in Nigeria; Suspect pirates transferred to Seychelles; Bunkering Fraud - Despite the overall reduction in global piracy, attack, kidnap and hijack in West Africa continue unabated in 2014. Tugboats and offshore support vessels targeted with seeming trend of kidnapping the Captain and Chief Engineer for ransom; a patrol boat is attacked as robbers attempt to escape following attack on a commercial boat. Three Indians kidnapped from MV San Miguel off Equatorial Guinea are rescued (no details), however, the tableau of MT Kerala hijack continues with claim and counter claim. A new Flag Officer in Nigeria has vowed to raise the bar in the fight against oil theft and piracy. Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast is to adding 40 new vessels to its depleted navy as it confronts a growing threat from pirates. China launches new patrol boat for Nigeria with agreement for Port Harcourt to be upgraded. Norwegian-flagged vessels to revise security measures east and south of Nigeria, all the way to and including the waters off Angola; Germany advised to prepare to combat W Africa piracy. The 5 suspected pirates detained by EU's French forces were transferred to Seychelles as one of the few nations willing to try suspects on charges of intent to commit piracy. Safer shipping lanes off Somalia have encouraged a return of trade with CMA CGM expanding its Middle East service into Mogadishu. The Indonesian Navy says it will intensify patrols along the sea border with Malaysia to deter the encroachment of territorial borders, weapon smuggling, piracy and sea crimes. $37 million worth of cocaine seized in a multi-national operation in the Caribbean. Over-use of the title pirates? At least 100 tourists were raided aboard a boat that was in the Huallaga River [Peru]. A new study says, the threat of prison is not a deterrent against pirates. In fact they are better off locked up, says a leading law professor. The concept just doesn’t work. President of the European Commission has said the issue of the Italian marines in India may have an “impact” on the European Union-India relations and “will be assessed carefully”. Also, the European Commission wants a single standard for maritime security companies working on EU-flag ships. After Dutch shipowners decried the cost of VPDs, Japanese shipping concerns have decided against inward investment in the Netherlands due to the Dutch ban on the use of PMSCs. The UN Security Council has urged countries to stop the payment of kidnap ransoms to extremist groups; a matter much debated in terms of paying ransoms for the release of hostages held in Somalia. India's Supreme Court directed the Centre to file its response on a plea seeking direction to expedite the release of Indians held captive by Somalian pirates, the Asphalt Venture crew in particular. Marine insurers, Skuld, is warning its members of the dangers of bunkering fraud, which could be on the rise, especially off West Africa. 6 out of 10 people trafficked to the West are Nigerians, claims investigative report. ‘Dramatic drop in piracy rates’… But are these reports simply too good to be true? Not another of Tom Hanks' films, but true-life. A castaway washed up on the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean has claimed he has survived the past 16 months adrift at sea. Contents: Regional Activity; Released by Pirates; Pirates in Court; Private Security; International Response; Piracy Cost; Seafarers' Plight; And Finally...; Piracy Incidents; Situational Map East Africa/Indian Ocean PIRACY OFF the coast of Somalia has fallen to its lowest level for eight years, thanks to international naval patrols - BBC News Business. The safer shipping lanes have encouraged firms in the Gulf to re-open trade links. Howard Johnson reports on the goods involved and Somalia's hopes for greater investment. Video report CMA CGM is expanding services to Somalia by extending its Middle East service Noura Express. Armed guards will be deployed on this risky service - Gulfship News. The service, which started yesterday, connects at Khorfakkan. Mathieu Friedberg, senior vice president, African lines at CMA CGM, explained: “We strongly believe in the recovery of the Somalian economy and are proud to launch the Noura Express, offering worldwide connections to and from Mogadishu. This is the first milestone of our growth plan in this region and there will be more developments in the months ahead.” A MEMBER of Somali rebel group al-Shabab was killed Sunday by a missile fired by a suspected drone, a rebel commander said, blaming the U.S. for the strike - Navy Times. Abu Mohamed told The Associated Press that Sahal Iskudhuq, a militant commander who was believed to be close to al-Shabab’s top leader, was killed when his car was hit by a missile in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. The attack took place in a village called Hawai, he said. A Somali intelligence official confirmed the attack, describing the victim as a “dangerous” militant. His driver was also killed in the attack, the official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to reveal the information. ITALIAN WARSHIPS currently in Maputo will remain in Mozambican waters for two months in order to undertake training activities with the Mozambican navy and exchange experiences in the fight against piracy - AllAfrica. The four ships are members of the Italian 30th Naval Group. They are the aircraft carrier “Cavour”, the frigate “Bergamimi”, the patrol ship “Borsini” and the supply vessel “Etna”. According to the commander of the 30th Naval Group, Rear Admiral Paolo Treu, the Italian and Mozambican navies will undertake training exercises in such areas as the protection of commercial shipping, the fight against piracy and trafficking, and rescue at sea in the event of maritime accidents. Speaking at a press conference on Monday on board the “Cavour”, Treu said the Italian navy thought it important to increase and strengthen cooperation with other navies across the world. “For us, it’s a great pleasure to collaborate with and assist the Mozambican navy”, he said. “This is an activity which will increase mutual trust between the two navies and contribute to global security”. He stressed that the presence of the Italian warships has nothing to do with the current politico- military tension in parts of Mozambique, but is merely intended to boost cooperation, particularly in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean. SOMALIA'S PRESIDENT said he wanted the U.N. Security Council to extend a partial lifting of an arms embargo beyond March when the exemption is due to end because Somali troops need more and better equipment to battle al Qaeda-aligned insurgents - Reuters. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday evening that he was working to improve the management of public finances, after the resignation of two central bank governors in quick succession last year rattled Western and other donors. The election by parliament in 2012 of Mohamud, a 58-year-old former academic, marked a break from two decades of political chaos and conflict, first at the hands of feuding warlords and then al Shabaab militants who vow allegiance to al Qaeda. Since he took office, the battered capital has enjoyed a building boom, some Somalis who fled have returned and, in a sign of greater international confidence, the U.N. Security Council partially lifted an embargo, letting Mogadishu import light arms for its army for a one-year period till March 2014. REPORTS COMING to Raxanreeb online news desk tonight are stating that Shiekh Hassan Dahir Aweys was released from the jail that he was in since his detention in June last year of the Federal government of Somalia - RBC Radio. Shiekh Hassan Dahir Aweys (pictured) escaped from Al- Qaida-Linked militants Al-shabab in Barawe, Lower Shabelle taking route on the sea to the central regions coasts. He was later under the custody of peace keeping Somali police unit centre at Shibis district, Banaadir. Hassan Dahir Aweys was the leader of the Religious militants group, Hisbul Islam. This officer is said to have taken to a house that was arranged for him by the federal government of Somalia. SECURITY GUARDS are on high alert after intelligence reports indicated that Al-Shabaab militants were planning attacks in Kenya and other African countries with their soldiers to Somalia - Daily Nation. Information from Kenyan intelligence agencies and the 2014 US Global Threat Assessment report indicate that government buildings and other installations could be targeted. (SEE: US intelligence chief warns of new attacks on Kenya) Also targeted are Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda because of those countries’ troop contributions to the African Union peace-keeping force in Somalia. The Amisom military component has 5,432 troops from Burundi, 1,000 from Djibouti, 3,664 from Kenya, 850 from Sierra Leone and 6,223 from Uganda. Ethiopia last week officially deployed 4,395 to join the force. Mr David Kimaiyo, the Inspector-General of Police, Thursday said that security had been beefed up in the areas identified as potential targets. West Africa SEA PIRATES on Saturday attacked a commercial boat and a patrol boat of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield along the water ways and creeks of Nembe and Southern Ijaw Area of Bayelsa State - Legis Reports Nigeria.