GCC STATES CONFRONTED BY PIRACY IN GULF
ABU DHABI ø Gulf Cooperation Council states face an increased piracy
threat in their territorial waters.
Several GCC states have taken steps to increase security against piracy
or Islamic insurgents in the crowded waters of the Gulf. Several of the six
GCC countries have also launched cooperation to prevent piracy and
insurgency
attacks.
Bahrain plans to increase air and sea patrols to combat piracy in wake
of a seizure of a Bahraini dhow in January. The piracy was said to have been
carried out by a fast patrol boat, which attacked the dhow and threw the
five-man crew
overboard.
Many of the pirates were said to come from Iran. The piracy was reported
after a long period of calm in the Gulf amid the U.S.-led war against Iraq.
"The ministry's planes will operate along with the coast guard boats to
help deter pirates and ensure the safety of Bahraini waters," Bahrain's
Interior Ministry Undersecretary Daij Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said. "There is
a great deal of cooperation between the GCC countries to confront and
eradicate this problem which has not spared any of the countries in the
region."
Authorities warned Bahraini fishermen to increase vigilance and stay
within the territorial waters of the kingdom. They also ordered fishing
boats to install radio and global positioning systems to communicate with
the coast guard.
In 2003, the International Maritime Bureau warned of the prospect of Al
Qaida suicide attacks on tankers and merchant ships. The report referred to
Al Qaida's attack on the French oil tanker Limburg in 2002 off the coast of
Yemen.
On Feb. 7, Kuwaiti Interior Minister Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah warned that
the sheikdom has been receiving threats from what he termed terrorist
groups. Nawaf said the threats were directed against other GCC states as
well.
Gulf waters have been used by fishermen from the GCC states and they
have called on their countries to increase cooperation. This would include
the
launch of joint GCC patrols.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also discussed the prospect of joint
patrols and other cooperation. But GCC states have been prevented from
security cooperation because of border disputes.
Several GCC states have sought to improve cooperation in efforts to
prevent infiltration via the sea. Oman and the United Arab Emirates have
increased efforts to halt the flow of migrants who seek employment in the
GCC states.
The UAE said it captured nearly 600 infiltrators in January. Most of
them tried to enter the UAE via the mountains along the border with Oman.
"Those infiltrators were seized between Jan. 1 and 28 thanks to the
intensifying security and patrols, and to the strong cooperation by the
nationals and expatriates in providing information about such attempts," a
UAE Interior Ministry statement said.
