Al shabab kidnapped Aid workers, Then sells them to Pirates

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Pirates Buy MSF Hostages from Al-Shabaab

Montserrat Serra (left) and Blanca Thiebaut



Two female Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) aid workers who were kidnapped from a Somali refugee camp in northern Kenya three months ago have been moved to Harardhere in Somalia's Mudug region after pirates bought the hostages from the al-Shabaab militant organization, according to pirates in Harardhere who spoke exclusively to Somalia Report.

Two Spanish aid workers, Blanca Thiebaut and Montserrat Serra, arrived in Harardhere by speedboat late Sunday and are now in the hands of a pirate group led by Mohamed Abdi Hassan (known as Afweyne), a well-known pirate commander in Mudug region who hails from the Saleeban clan (sub-clan of Hawiye).

“The two MSF hostages are now in Harardhere. They arrived here late yesterday (Sunday) and are doing well,” one of the pirates in Harardhere told Somalia Report.

“I can confirm that we have them, but I cannot tell you anything specific. We are in a conference now to discuss the ransom we will demand," said the pirate.

The MSF hostages were kidnapped on October 13, 2011 from Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp and taken to Afgooye in Lower Shabelle by the al-Shabaab militants before they were sold to the pirates.

The Deal

Al-Shabaab militants denied they were responsible for the kidnapping because it is considered haraam (forbidden in the Islamic religion), but pirates told Somalia Report that they bought two aid workers from the militants.

“We bought both hostages from al-Shabaab for $200,000 ($100,000 for each hostage) and then brought them here to Harardhere," said the pirate.

“We have don’t any links with al-Shabaab. This was only a business deal because they needed money and don't have any way to negotiate a ransom. We do and so we paid $200,000 because we will get millions of dollars for this in the future. That is business," added the pirate. Somalia Report has not received separate confirmation, but our source has been reliable in the past.

MSF recently issued a statement on their website condemning the kidnapping, "Three months ago, two MSF aid workers, Montserrat Serra and Blanca Thiebaut, were abducted in Dadaab refugee camp in Northern Kenya while carrying out emergency assistance for the Somali population. These attacks on aid workers must be condemned in the strongest of terms. They put in jeopardy life-saving medical projects that are already far from adequate in addressing the scope of the medical needs of the Somali population."



More Hostages in Harardhere




Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted

Harardhere, located Mudug region, has become the largest pirate hub in Somalia and considered a safe place to keep the hostages, according to pirates. It is considered so safe that they pirates claim they have moved three other foreign hostages to the area.

Pirates also admitted they 'bought' Judith Tebbutt, a British woman kidnapped from Lamu, Kenya by Somalia gunmen, from al-Shabaab and are also holding her in Harardhere. It is common for kidnappers to "flip" hostages and Somalia Report had credible information that al-Shabaab had planned deliberate attacks on foreigners to disrupt Kenya's tourism and aid communities.

Pirates further claimed that they are also holding Dane Poul Thisted and American Jessica Buchanan, two Danish Demining Group aid workers who were kidnapped by a local militia in Galk’ayo last October, in the pirate hub.

Somalia Report research confirms that this is first self-stated evidence of Somali pirate groups providing direct financial benefit to al-Shabaab.