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FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9175
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000743 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND ACTING A/S CARTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PTER KPAO SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - REACTION TO MAERSK ALABAMA CAPTAIN'S 
RESCUE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Somali reaction to the use of force used 
to secure the release of Maersk Alabama Captain Richard 
Phillips has been largely positive.  Somali media outlets 
have reflected an understanding of the actions, although some 
have wondered if this show of force has come too late, now 
that pirates have become accustomed to receiving money for 
the release of ships and hostages.  Another outlet pondered 
whether pirates would become more violent, and if the family 
and friends of the three dead pirates would somehow attempt 
to retaliate.  Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and 
Government of Puntland officials had both issued statements 
lamenting the hijacking and hostage-taking, and we are urging 
them to follow their supportive statements to date with 
further backing for subsequent events. A range of government 
officials sent notes and messages of support to Post, all 
stating that the action was necessary and understandable. 
Post has passed suggested press statements and talking points 
to both the TFG and Puntland government, with requests that 
they publicize the views they have shared with us privately. 
End summary. 
 
---------------- 
During the Event 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The reaction to the April 12 operation to secure the 
release of Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips, which 
resulted in the deaths of three Somali pirates, has been 
mostly positive in Somalia, in spite of extremists' effort to 
portray the action as a demonstration of American and Western 
use of force against Somalis and Muslims at large.  While the 
incident unfolded, several Somali parties made public 
statements lamenting the hostage-taking and subsequent 
holding of Phillips.  The Somali Business Council (SBC), 
based in Dubai, sent us a message calling Phillips' capture 
"inhumane, immoral, and shameful" and noted that the United 
States and others are working to help the Somali people.  The 
Transitional Federal Government, via Prime Minister Omar 
Sharmarke, issued a statement on April 10 calling for the 
unconditional release of Phillips, and noting that Phillips' 
capture came immediately on the heels of the TFG's 
humanitarian appeal, and might undermine the appeal effort. 
The President of Puntland, Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamed 
"Farole," issued a statement on April 11 expressing "deep 
regret" for piracy in general, and characterizing it as "a 
well-organized and sophisticated criminal enterprise." 
 
-------------- 
Media Reaction 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Somali media have reacted favorably to the April 12 
action to rescue Phillips, even though three Somali pirates 
were killed during the operation.  Some in the media have 
speculated that the show of force may have come too late. The 
editor of the National Post newspaper, which is published in 
Nairobi but distributed in Mogadishu and which is the sister 
paper of Xog-Oogal, publicly supported the action, even 
suggesting that such forceful action would have been better 
earlier, in order to prevent piracy from flourishing. The 
manager of Mogadishu's Radio Simba said the majority of 
Somalis supported the action to free Phillips, but noted that 
pirates may now be more prone to violence when handling 
hostages during piracy operations.  The radio station also 
said that a close family member of one pirate had vowed to 
carry out retaliatory action, since the action came while 
family members and clan elders were allegedly engaged in 
talks to release the captain without ransom. 
 
---------------- 
Somali Officials 
and Civilians 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Senior Somali officials have conveyed a variety of 
positive messages since Phillips' release.  Puntland 
President Farole publicly welcomed the rescue operation, 
urged other states to "emulate the United States."  The TFG 
Foreign Minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Omar, told a Reuters 
reporter that he strongly supported the action, which was 
long overdue. He urged other countries to take similar 
 
NAIROBI 00000743  002 OF 002 
 
 
actions against pirates.  The Minister for Fisheries, 
Abdirahman Haji Adan "Ibbi" hailed the action.  Minister of 
Commerce Abdirashid Irro Mohamed told VOA that he was happy 
to hear President Obama's comments about the rescue, and said 
that, "unless we make peace and security as well as law and 
order inland, we cannot control the water."  Intelligence 
head Mohamed Sheikh in an SMS to us termed the events "a 
fantastic and courageous step to rescue the Captain.  The 
(TFG) and all Somalis support you," he wrote. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Somalis from all walks of life have also weighed 
in.  A scholar from the moderate Ahlu Sunna Walk Jama (AWSJ) 
group expressed strong support for the action, saying piracy 
is against Islamic law and is punishable by death. Well-known 
Mogadishu businessman Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur "Eno" called us 
from Qatar to say "it's about time.  Piracy is ruining 
whatever reputation Somalia has left."  Somalia's Ambassador 
to Kenya Mohammed Ali Nur "Americo" praised the rescue and 
hoped it would discourage future, would-be pirates."  As may 
have been expected, the extremists wasted no time in 
attempting to capitalize on the lives lost in the operation. 
For example, a "pirate chief" who claimed to have knowledge 
of the Maersk Alabama situation said the pirates had agreed 
to free Phillips without ransom before the three pirates were 
killed, and vowed to "hunt down" Americans traveling in area 
waters. 
 
------------------------------- 
Shaping the TFG and 
Puntland Governments' Reactions 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Post has requested that the TFG and Government of 
Puntland actively speak out about the action taken to rescue 
Phillips.  We provided both governments some suggested text 
for press releases addressing the situation, and offered to 
facilitate media interviews by which senior Somali officials 
could discuss the April 12 rescue.  Both governments were 
receptive to the idea.  Prime Minister Sharmarke arrives in 
Nairobi evening, April 14, and Puntland President Farole will 
be in town on April 15. Post will work actively with them and 
their delegations. 
RANNEBERGER