The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Associated Press This undated photo shows the Greek-managed bulk carrier Irene E.M., which was hijacked by Somalia pirates in the Gulf of Aden during the early hours Tuesday. The Irene E.M was sailing from the Middle East to South Asia, with a Filipino crew.(AP Photo/Roberto Smera)

MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) - Somali pirates captured four ships and took more than 60 crew members hostage in a brazen hijacking spree, while the American captain freed from their grip planned to reunite with his crew and fly home Wednesday to the United States.

Pirates have vowed revenge for the deaths of three colleagues at the hands of U.S. snipers rescuing Capt. Richard Phillips, as well as for two others slain by French forces in a separate rescue last week.

"Our latest hijackings were meant to show that no one can deter us from protecting our waters from the enemy because we believe in dying for our land," Omar Dahir Idle, a pirate based in the coastal town of Harardhere, told The Associated Press by telephone. "The recent American operation, French navy attack on our colleagues or any other operation mean nothing to us."

The top U.S. military officer said Tuesday he takes such comments seriously.

But Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC's "Good Morning America" that "we're very well prepared to deal with anything like that."

Phillips, who offered himself up as a hostage to save the crew of the Maersk Alabama, was rescued Sunday when U.S. Navy SEALs shot three pirates dead after a five-day standoff.

The commander of the USS Bainbridge, the American destroyer from which the SEALs took their shots at the pirates, said the captain's life was repeatedly threatened. Cmdr. Frank Castellano of the destroyer USS Bainbridge told The Associated Press the pirates repeatedly stated "it was their intention to kill him."

Special forces on the warship, believing Capt. Richard Phillips' life was in immediate danger, ended the standoff Sunday with three well placed shots, killing the pirates.

Castellano did not give further details about where Phillips is now.

The captain and his 19-man crew will reunite in the Kenyan port of Mombasa on Wednesday and fly from there to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on a chartered flight, according to the shipping company Maersk. They will be reunited with loved ones at Andrews in a private reception area.

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