Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Interesting development: Tanker hijacking may be inside job

The Star Online (Malaysia) reports Tanker hijacking may be inside job
Police suspect the hijacking of the Malaysian-owned tanker MT Nepline Delima off Langkawi early Tuesday morning may be an inside job.

They have arrested two crewmembers believed to be involved in the hijacking of the vessel which was carrying 6,280 tonnes of diesel worth about RM12mil.

Kedah police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohamed Supian Amat said one of the crew member, an Indonesian, was remanded for 12 days along with the 10 pirates from the Aceh province.

It is learnt that the other crew member would be remanded today.

“We believe this is an inside job. This hijacking was well planned,” he said.
See my earlier post on the ship seizure here.

Not the first "suspicious" ship taking in the area recently, see here.

Oh, and did you notice from my earlier post on the Nepline Delima that apparently this is the third time the ship has had "pirate trouble?" Hmm.

Update: But wait there's more -
Police believe that the 10 pirates who attempted to hijack the oil tanker, Nepline Delima, in Langkawi waters on Tuesday have connections with an international syndicate.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Musa Hassan said Thursday that this was because they had to sell their ill-gotten gains to others.

He also did not discount the possibility that more crewmen of the vessel would be arrested on suspicion of providing insider help.

Speaking to reporters at the Langkawi International Airport here after being briefed on the incident and investigation, he said police were investigating the possibility that the pirates, believed to be Indonesians, were also involved in an earlier hijacking of a commercial ship in the Melaka Strait...

...Asked whether the pirates had links with separatist groups in Indonesia, he said the matter was being investigated.source)

And:
The New Straits Times, citing police sources, said one of the suspects was a senior officer on the tanker who had allegedly messaged the pirates using his mobile phone minutes before the attack.(source)

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