April 9 (UPI) -- Authorities have started an investigation into bags containing nearly $10 million that arrived on a plane at a Somali airport over the weekend.

Somalia security officials found the money in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane at the airport in Mogadishu, Somalia's interior ministry said.

Royal Jet is a luxury airline based in the United Arab Emirates.

"The seized money is worth $9.6 million," the minister said. "Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country."

Senior security officials told Voice of America the three money bags have been placed in Somalia's central bank for storage.

Officials said the money was seized after diplomat Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi's entourage tried to take it out of the airport, but security instructed them to have them scanned.

"The ambassador refused, walked back to the plane with three bags, and counterterrorism units confiscated the three bags," one officer said.

Al Hammadi told VOA the money was not intended for the UAE embassy, but rather the ministry of defense.

"It's for the salary of the Somali soldiers," he said.

The seizure resulted in a standoff for hours between airport officials and UAE embassy staff.

Somalia and UAE relations have been tense since last June when Somalia decided to remain neutral in Persian Gulf political matters. </s> Somalia's government says it has seized several bags of money worth almost $10m from a plane that arrived at Mogadishu airport from the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.

The money was found in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane, the Somali interior ministry said, and its seizure resulted in an hours-long standoff between airport officials and UAE embassy staff in Mogadishu.

Royal Jet is an airline based in Abu Dhabi, aimed at the luxury market between the UAE and Europe.

"The seized money is worth $9.6 million. Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country," Somali interior ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since June last year. Mogadishu resisted Emirati and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar following a dispute between the Gulf neighbours. Somalia said it was neutral in the Gulf diplomatic rift.

Last month, Abu Dhabi agreed to train security forces in Somaliland - a region in northern Somalia seeking secession from the rest of the country. UAE also signed with Somaliland a 30-year concession to manage Berbera Port in the semi-autonomous region. It has also started building a military base in the port city.

Somalia dismissed the agreement between Abu Dhabi and the northern Somali region as "non-existent, null and void" and called on the United Nations to take action.

Speaking at the UN Security Council last month, Abukar Osman, Somalia's ambassador to the UN, said the agreement between Somaliland and the UAE to establish the base in Berbera is a "clear violation of international law".

Osman called on the Security Council to "take the necessary steps" to "put an end to these actions".

"The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns these blatant violations, and reaffirms that it will take the necessary measures deriving from its primary responsibility to defend the inviolability of the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia," he said. </s> The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has denounced the seizure of what it described as a civilian aircraft carrying nearly $10m by Somali authorities at Mogadishu airport.

The government of Somalia said on Sunday it had seized several bags of money containing $9.6m in cash from a plane arriving from the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

According to a statement carried on Tuesday by WAM, the UAE state news agency, the sum was intended to support the Somali military and trainees.

"Money allocated to support the Somali army and trainees was seized at gunpoint by Somali security personnel, who disrespected some members of the UAE forces," it said.

The money was found in three unmarked bags on a Royal Jet plane, according to the Somali interior ministry, and its seizure resulted in an hours-long standoff between airport officials and UAE embassy staff in Mogadishu.

Royal Jet is an airline based in Abu Dhabi, servicing the luxury market between the UAE and Europe.

"The seized money is worth $9.6m. Security agencies are currently investigating where the money came from, where it was going, the individuals involved and the reason for bringing money worth this amount into the country," Somalia's interior ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since June last year.

Mogadishu resisted Emirati and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar following a dispute between the Gulf neighbours. Somalia said it was neutral in the Gulf diplomatic rift.

Last month, Abu Dhabi agreed to train security forces in Somaliland - a region in northern Somalia seeking to secede from the country. The UAE has also signed with Somaliland a 30-year concession to manage Berbera Port in the semi-autonomous region. It has also started building a military base in the port city.

Somalia dismissed the agreement between Abu Dhabi and the northern Somali region as "non-existent, null and void" and called on the United Nations to take action.

Speaking at the UN Security Council last month, Abukar Osman, Somalia's ambassador to the UN, said the agreement between Somaliland and the UAE to establish the base in Berbera is a "clear violation of international law".

Osman called on the Security Council to "take the necessary steps" to "put an end to these actions".

"The Federal Government of Somalia strongly condemns these blatant violations, and reaffirms that it will take the necessary measures deriving from its primary responsibility to defend the inviolability of the sovereignty and the unity of Somalia," he said. </s> Somali security officials said they have seized a large cache of money that arrived Sunday at Mogadishu airport from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Two senior security officials told VOA Somali three suitcases containing $9.6 million have been put In storage in the central bank of Somalia pending an investigation.

Another security official said Ambassador Mohammed Ahmed Othman Al Hammadi, UAE envoy to Mogadishu, was at the airport to receive the money.

The official said Al Hammadi’s entourage tried to take the money out of the airport but were instructed by security forces to have the bags scanned.

“The ambassador refused, walked back to the plane with three bags, and counterterrorism units confiscated the three bags,” said the officer who requested anonymity.

The Royal Jet plane has since been released.

Al Hammadi told VOA Somali the money was not intended for the UAE embassy. “The money is for the ministry of defense. It’s for the salary of the Somali soldiers,” he told VOA.

He said the government knew in advance that the money was coming for the troops. The UAE has been training Somali soldiers in Mogadishu, as well as about 1,000 maritime police in the Puntland region.

Somali officials argue the money was not intended for the Somali army. “The salary for the army is less than $1 million. This is almost $10 million,” the official said.

“I’m certain that they have been informed not to bring money. The onus is on us to respond,” the official said. He added that an investigation will determine whether the money was brought in to “destabilize” the country.

Relations between Somalia and the UAE have been frosty since last year when the government of Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed resisted pressure to cut ties with Qatar and took a neutral position on a dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Last month, the Somali government rejected an agreement between the UAE’s Dubai World, Somaliland and Ethiopia over Berbera port, saying the deal violates the territorial integrity of Somalia.”

Somali officials said a foreign country believed to be Saudi Arabia has agreed to mediate between Somalia and UAE. It is unclear if there were direct talks between the two countries.

According to Somali diplomatic sources, late last month the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Al Hammadi and explained its position on the port agreement, as well as a separate military agreement between Somaliland and UAE to build a military base in Berbera.

This story was written by VOA’s Harun Maruf. Abdulaziz Osman contributed. </s> An armed Somali pirate keeping vigil on the coastline near Hobyo, northeastern Somalia on January 4, 2010. PHOTO | AFP

Armed pirates off the coast of Somalia who hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew on board are demanding a ransom for the release of the vessel, the EU Naval Force said.

The pirates seized the Comoros-flagged Aris 13 tanker on Monday, the first such hijacking in the region since 2012.

"The EU Naval Force ... has received positive confirmation from the master of ... Aris 13, that his ship and crew are currently being held captive by a number of suspected armed pirates in an anchorage off the north coast of Puntland, close to Alula," the force said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Puntland is a semi-autonomous northern region of Somalia. Alula is a port town there where pirates have taken the tanker.

EU Navfor said as soon as it received an alert on the ship's seizure, it sent patrol aircraft from its Djibouti base to try to make radio contact with the ship, and only late on Tuesday did its headquarters in London reach the vessel's master by phone.

"The master confirmed that armed men were on board his ship and they were demanding a ransom for the ship’s release. The EU Naval Force has now passed the information regarding the incident to the ship’s owners," EU Navfor said.

The 1,800 deadweight tonne Aris 13 is owned by Panama company Armi Shipping and managed by Aurora Ship Management in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Equasis shipping data website, managed by the French transport ministry.

In their prime in 2011, Somali pirates launched 237 attacks off Somalia's coast, data from the International Maritime Bureau showed, and held hundreds of hostages.

That year, aid group Oceans Beyond Piracy estimated the global cost of piracy at about $7 billion. The shipping industry bore roughly 80 percent of those costs, the group's analysis showed.

However attacks fell off sharply after ship owners tightened security and vessels stayed farther away from the Somali coast. </s> UAE owned ship Al Mezaan docks at the sea port of Mogadishu, after Somali pirates freed it, file. REUTERS/Abdi Guled

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali pirates are suspected of hijacking a Sri Lankan-flagged fuel freighter that sent a distress call, turned off its tracking system and altered course for the Somali coast, a piracy expert said on Tuesday.

If confirmed, Monday's incident would be the first hijack of a commercial ship by Somali pirates since 2012.

The Aris 13 was believed to be carrying eight crew, said John Steed of the aid group Oceans Beyond Piracy. Steed, a former British colonel, has worked on piracy for nearly a decade and is in close contact with naval forces tracking the ship.

"The ship reported it was being followed by two skiffs yesterday afternoon. Then it disappeared," he told Reuters.

Aircraft from regional naval force EU Navfor were flying overhead to track the ship's progress and try to determine what was happening, he said.

The 1,800 deadweight tonne Aris 13 is owned by Panama company Armi Shipping and managed by Aurora Ship Management in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Equasis shipping data website, managed by the French transport ministry.

The ship was being monitored by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO), which coordinates the management of all merchant ships and yachts in the Gulf of Aden area, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The UKMTO in Dubai said it had no further information "at the moment".

The ship was headed for the Somali port of Alula, Steed said. Pirates in the town confirmed to Reuters they were expecting the ship.

In their heyday five years ago, Somali pirates terrorised sailors crossing the Gulf of Aden. They launched 237 attacks off the coast of Somalia in 2011, the International Maritime Bureau says, and held hundreds of hostages.

That year, Ocean's Beyond Piracy estimated the global cost of piracy was around $7 billion. The shipping industry bore around 80 percent of those costs, the aid group's analysis showed.

But attacks fell sharply after ship owners tightened security and avoided the Somali coast.

Intervention by regional naval forces that flooded into the area helped disrupt several hijack bids and secure the strategic trade route that leads through the Suez Canal and links the oilfields of the Middle East with European ports. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Piracy off the coast of Somalia has fallen sharply in recent years

Somali pirates have hijacked an Indian cargo vessel off the coast of the Puntland region, officials say.

It was believed to have been travelling between Dubai and Bosasso, in Puntland, when it was seized.

It is the second such attack recently. Last month, pirates seized a tanker bound for Mogadishu but released it apparently without conditions.

That incident was the first hijack of a large commercial ship off the Somali coast since 2012.

Maritime sources have identified the vessel as the Al Kausar with 11 crew on board.

The AFP news agency said it had contacted the vessel's owner and been told it was carrying goods such as wheat and sugar.

A crew member had apparently phoned the owner to tell him the vessel was hijacked at sea last Friday. Five gunmen were said to be on board, but no-one had been hurt.

Senior Indian shipping official Nalini Shankar said the vessel was "not a big ship, but a dhow", the Press Truss of India reported.

The Somali website Daynile said the attack happened some 50km (30 miles) south of the port town of Hobyo.

Billion dollar industry

Piracy off the Somali coast - usually for ransom - has dropped significantly in recent years, in part because of extensive international military patrols as well as support for local fishing communities.

At the height of the crisis in 2011, there were 237 attacks and the annual cost of piracy was estimated to be up to $8bn (£7bn).

The factors that drove many Somali coastal fishermen to become pirates nearly a decade ago are still there, says the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner.

Somalia is currently in the grip of a famine. Poverty is widespread with few employment options for young people.

There is also continued local resentment at the poaching of fish stocks off the coast by Asian trawlers. </s> The US announced a ban on electronic devices from cabin baggage on passenger flights from eight Muslim majority countries.

The DHS have claimed that the ban is to prevent an attack from happening given the various attacks in the past; this is seen simply as a preventive measure. But to what end?

They stated extremists were seeking “innovative methods” to bring down jets. It also went further to discuss how bombs could be hidden in laptops, tablets, cameras, DVD players and electronic games. This ban will affect nine airlines operating out of 10 airports.

Electronic devices will only be allowed on board in checked baggage. Phones are exempt from the new rules.

The nine airlines affected are:

US officials said the airlines had been given 96 hours, beginning at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday, to ban devices bigger than a mobile phone or smartphone from cabins. The ban has no date of when it would be over.

An analyst from Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent had a question, he stated “the restriction is based we are told, on evaluated intelligence.” That means that US intelligence has either intercepted discussion of a possible extremist plot or has been passed word of one by a human informant.

The Middle Eastern and North African airports affected are nearly all ones with close, friendly relations with Washington, so this will be seen by some as a drastic and unpopular measure. Wealthy Gulf Arab business leaders flying to the US, for example, will no longer be able to work on their laptops mid-flight.

But aviation security experts were alarmed by an incident in Somalia last year when the insurgent group al-Shabaab smuggled an explosive-filled laptop on a flight out of Mogadishu, blowing a hole in the side of the plane. The aircraft was still low enough that the pilot was able to land the plane safely.

In a statement, the DHS said: “The US government is concerned about terrorists’ ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years, as evidenced by the 2015 airliner downing in Egypt; the 2016 attempted airliner downing in Somalia; and the 2016 armed attacks against airports in Brussels and Istanbul. “Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items.”

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly called members of Congress over the weekend to explain the security issues behind the ban, congressional aides said. The restrictions are said to have been under consideration for several weeks. </s> New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has recovered US Dollars valued at Rs 3.21 crore from a lady crew member of a Hong Kong-bound flight at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.

According to ANI, the crew member and supplier - identified as Amit - have both been apprehended and further investigation is underway.

The arrest was made on the intervening night of January 7-8, 2018. The arrested lady crew member is associated with the Jet Airways.

''During an inspection by the DRI team, a large sum of foreign currency was recovered from an employee of the airline. The employee has been taken into custody,'' Jet Airways said in a statement. ''Based on the investigations and inputs from law enforcement agencies, the airline will take further action."

According to reports, the arrested woman crew member was part of an elaborate scheme to bring back gold to the country in exchange for black money. Sources have revelated to Zee News that the said crew member was befriended by Amit and convinced to ferry the money. She was to get one per cent of the total money smuggled and it is learnt that in seven trips to Hong Kong in the last two months, has smuggled $10 lakh dollars.

She allegedly kept the money in foil paper, which the scanner at the airport was not able to detect easily.
Somalia seizes US$9.6 million from three bags arriving on a Royal Jet flight from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in the midst of diplomatic tensions between the nations.