Somali Pirates: Death Threats - Nothing Changes

Shiptalk and others (see gCaptain) -report a Somali pirate "Killing Pledge":

It is increasingly being reported that pirates are changing their attitude and as they look to apply every greater pressure to get ransoms paid they are claiming that ”killing hostages has now become part of the rules”. According to media reports, the pirates are stating that if a rescue is attempted they will immediately kill hostages.

So, how is that a change in the status quo? I have always assumed that the only thing keeping the pirates on captured vessels alive was the threat they pose to the hostage crews they hold. Otherwise, a team of special forces boards the ships and it's "AMF" to the pirates.

So, not much news here in my view. Sometimes the level of media cluelessness amazes me. After all, these same pirates are shooting weapons at ship crews already, almost like they would mean to kill someone.

Perhaps we should warn the pirates that if they start killing hostages we are going visit their home villages with malice. Malice like this:

Photo from Spectre Association

That might be too threatening, though.