Somali factions seek to claim pirate loot

HARADHERE, Somalia, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Islamic militants and other factions are pouring into a lawless region of Somalia to grab shares of ransom being demanded by seaborne pirates, observers say.

With Somali hijackers demanding $25 million for the release of the Saudi Arabian oil supertanker Sirius Star, an array of Somali militiamen ranging from the hard-line Islamic militants of the al-Shabaab movement to tribesmen linked to the pirates themselves have descended on the town of Haradhere, the BBC reported Saturday.

"There are many militiamen who have arrived in the town and they want to get a share from the pirates if the ransom is paid," Ahmed Abdullahi, a local elder, told the BBC. "They believe this ship is huge and the owner will pay a lot of money."

The Islamic hard-liners, who are fighting against the weak Western-backed transitional government in Mogadishu, say they want to stamp out Somali piracy, especially against Muslim-owned ships such as the Sirius Star.

But others doubt their motives and say al-Shabaab is looking for a share of the pirate booty to aid the cause of international terrorism, the British broadcaster reported.