Hijacked ship said to be carrying military cargo

[Mr.Wise]

Friday, September 26, 2008


Somali pirates may have gotten their hands on 30 Soviet-era T-72 tanks when they seized the Belize-flagged, Ukrainian-managed RO/RO carrier Faina on Thursday.

According to Russia's Interfax news agency, which quoted "informed sources, "the ship was transporting military hardware, including some 30 T-72 tanks and spare parts for armored vehicles."

According to AFP, Ukraine's foreign ministry said that reports on the nature of the cargo were being verified and that there were 21 people on board: 17 Ukrainians, three Russians and a Latvian.

AFP quotes Andrew Mwngura who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program as saying the ship was sailing from the Baltics and was expected in Mombasa on September 27.

Adding some credibility to the tanks story is that the ship is a RO/RO carrier with stern ramp. Originally built in Sweden in 1978 as the Vallmo, it has since been through many hands, many flags and many names, including Matina, Loverval, and Marabou. In 2007 it was sold to Redrick Company, Belize, and became Faina.

According to the Equasis data base it is managed by Tomex of Odessa.

The ship's stern ramp is unlikely to have needed any particular strengthening to carry T-72's as one of the main characteristics of this tank is its extremely light weight of 41 tonnes.

In February of this year, the Kenyan authorities seized a shipment of 20 tanks that had been unloaded in Mombasa and that were reportedly headed for the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement.

Source: MARINELOG, Sept 26, 2008

[Twisted_Logic]

T-72 is a serious tank. It is the work-horse of many professional armies

[gurey25]

im guessing they are export version of the old T-72
they were not really that good, bad armour, even RPG-7s would do damage when they would only dent and scratch a M1-abrams or Merkeva.

its gun is 125mm and should be very good if you can get the right rounds,
nothing in africa would stand upto that gun....

but im assuming here that ther would be no fire control system so basically
it is a Glorified T-55

but 20 of those babies would roll over 200 technicals..

[gurey25]

30 old T-72s unmodifed or upgraded are incredibly cheap
i wouldnt be surprised if they were bought for $100,000 each.

[alim0]

wow they are lucky ti come across all those weapons, i wonder if they will give the weapons back to the rightfull owners

[Looyaan_Junior]

I will urge these somali coast guards ( not pirrates lol) to donate these tanks to either ONLF or Somali resistance fighters.
I am sure with such a number of tanks we could kick xabashis all the way to Mekelle (Tigray capital)....

[Mr.Wise]

but the one million Quetsion is: do they know how to use, maintenance, etc
eather way they now one of the big boyz they can chalange anyone who came thier way

[Looyaan_Junior]

but the one million Quetsion is: do they know how to use, maintenance, etc
eather way they now one of the big boyz they can chalange anyone who came thier way

Waryaa Wise,

Are you implaying we (somalis) can not use, drive or maintain tank, remember we have thousands of ex-soviet trained officers in in our midst.
The practical problem would have been how to call all of them within short notice, some of them probably have turned anti-somali and work for TFG as warlords.

I suggest we run unorthodox recruitment drive, we call every qabiil and ask to bring their tank trained officers (I mean pro-liberation qabiils). In that way within 24hrs every qabiil will be presenting their finest tank trained officer.

Problem solved.....

[Mr.Wise]

but the one million Quetsion is: do they know how to use, maintenance, etc
eather way they now one of the big boyz they can chalange anyone who came thier way

Waryaa Wise,

Are you implaying we (somalis) can not use, drive or maintain tank, remember we have thousands of ex-soviet trained officers in in our midst.
The practical problem would have been how to call all of them within short notice, some of them probably have turned anti-somali and work for TFG as warlords.

I suggest we run unorthodox recruitment drive, we call every qabiil and ask to bring their tank trained officers (I mean pro-liberation qabiils). In that way within 24hrs every qabiil will be presenting their finest tank trained officer.

Problem solved.....

no sxb I dont mean we somalians but those somali cost guard (pirates) they are not trained military personal, but same fools who listen 50cents song too many times ( get rich or die trying)

[dawwa9]

Laascanood and Somaliland is doomed?

[Starscream]

T-72 Tank is indeed a bit overrated and has many faults. The Iraqi Army depended on them, so go figure.

The Somali National Army had T-54 and T-55 tanks and those were not that much less capable than the T-72. It's like comparing the older AK-47 with the AK-74.

But still in the current Somali military climate, 30 T-72 tanks is a serious addition to any party in it.

[Son_of_Somalia]

Those tanks would be fantastic to the cause of the somali liberation forces.

Would the pirates be willing to sell the tanks to the resistance, we could give them 100, 000 for evry three tanks, speacial offer.

[dawwa9]

They will donate it to Cadde muuse and co.

Who on paper does not support them but in reality does, or else he would have done something about Eyl which is packed with dozens of hijacked ships.

[Starscream]

Dawwa waa ku side, uve been to Somalia urself. wax donation ah ma jirto, even Abdullahi Yusuf has to come with some serious offers to get his hands on those tanks, the ball is in the pirates' court.

Plus Abdullahi Yusuf and Adde Musse both don't deserve these tanks, if the pirates get those tanks on land. I think the elders should control it.

[Kramer]

This is the new ones!
The Russian T-72s!

[img]http://bluenet.w.interia.pl/militaria/czolgi/t-72/t72s(3).jpg[/img]

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d48/oxi_g/Iran%20Military/23-t72b.jpg[/img]

I think they should hand this to ICU before Ethiopia comes and takes the stuff from them, and uses it on Somalis. Russia won't come after 30 tanks, since Somalia is lawless, it's not worth it!