Pirates of Somalia (41 page)

My bodyguard Said, on the beach at Eyl. The MV
Victoria
, a German-owned cargo ship hijacked on May 5, 2009, is just visible at the horizon (centre). (
Courtesy the author
)

The MV
Victoria
, being held at Eyl, June 2009. (
Courtesy the author
)

Minions of the pirate leader Computer, a reported psychic, loading the day’s supplies for the
Victoria
. (
Courtesy the author
)

The MV
Marathon
, a Dutch-owned cargo ship captured on May 7, 2009, being held at Dhanane. (
Courtesy the author
)

One of the
Marathon
’s hijackers (left), chewing khat and chatting with Ombaali. (
Courtesy the author
)

The half-finished house of the pirate leader Kadiye, on the outskirts of Garowe. (
Courtesy the author
)

A pardoned prisoner receives one million Somali shillings (approximately $30) before being released. The same day, I interviewed three inmates sentenced to life in prison for piracy. (
Courtesy Mohamad Farole
)

A pirate in the central pirate base of Hobyo, October 2008. (
EPA
)

Constanţa, Romania: the largest port on the Black Sea. (
Courtesy the author
)

Two packages containing ransom money parachute (top right) towards the MV
Faina
, a Ukrainian tank transport captured by pirates in September 2008. (
US Navy
)

Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), a US-led coalition assigned to combat Somali piracy in 2008. (
US Navy
)

Wanini Kireri, the warden of Shimo La Tewa prison in Mombasa, Kenya, where more than one hundred suspected pirates currently await trial. (
Courtesy the author
)