10 Things You Didn't Know About Somali Pirates

Photo: FBI agents escort the Somali pirate that U.S. officials identify as Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse into FBI headquarters in New York, on April 20, 2009. Muse is the sole surviving Somali pirate from the hostage-taking of commercial ship captain Richard Phillips. Associated Press

From the Wall Street Journal:

In the 15 years since armed Somali fishermen began forcing their way onto commercial ships, pirates have turned East Africa's seas into the world's most dangerous waters. In 2008 alone, Somalia's lawless seamen captured more than 40 large vessels in the Gulf of Aden, a shortcut between Asia and Europe that's vital to the global economy. Wiping out today's pirates won't be easy; they're smarter, better organized, and, frankly, better loved abroad than the swashbucklers of yesteryear. In a special dispatch from Mombasa, Kenya, Mental Floss correspondent David Axe explains.

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My Comment: A thorough article on the Somali piracy problem. A must read.

Update: Pirates Smarter, More Dangerous, More Numerous -- War Is Boring