Pirates reduce ransom

MOGADISHU - Somali pirates holding the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star after the largest hijacking in maritime history have reduced their ransom demand to $15 million (€11.6 million), an Islamist leader and regional maritime group both said yesterday.

The mid-November capture of the tanker - with $100 million worth of oil and 25 crew members from Britain, Poland, Croatia, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines - has focused world attention on rampant piracy off the failed Horn of Africa state.

The pirate gang had originally been quoted as wanting $25 million to release the ship, which was captured far from Somali waters about 450 nautical miles southeast of Kenya.

Islamist spokesman Abdirahim Isse Adow, whose men are in the Haradheere area where the ship is being held offshore, said however that the demand had now been reduced to $15 million. - (Reuters)