TFG Topcat Security Sign $50m Deal

[BN]

Its hard to believe they would spend this amount of money on piracy when MP's aren't paid, local and regional governments are bankrupt and the populous is in dire need of basic necessities.

 

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American company to fight pirates off Somalia

25 Nov 2005 16:27:32 GMT

 

Top Cat Marine Security and President Abdullahi Yusuf of Somalia establish new

Somalia Coast Guard and Security Forces.

 

 

NAIROBI, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The Somali government has signed a two-year contract with an American marine security company in a bid to end an upsurge of piracy off the lawless Horn of Africa country, officials said on Friday.

 

Waters off the coast of Somalia are considered among the most dangerous in the world.

 

Pirates firing rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns earlier this month tried to board a U.S.-owned cruise liner about 100 miles (160 km) off the Somali coast.

 

New York-based Topcat Marine Security Inc. signed a deal worth more than $50 million with the Somali Transitional Federal Government in Nairobi to escort ships plying Somali waters.

 

Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi, who witnessed the deal, said his government recognised the damage caused by pirates and hoped Topcat would help end the piracy menace.

 

"The agreement signed today will defend Somalia's territorial waters, defeat the pirates," Gedi said, "The government wishes to express its dismay at these abhorrent actions."

 

Peter Casini, Topcat's head of research and development, said once in operation his company would target a mother ship used by the pirates to launch attacks on passing vessels.

 

"We will end the piracy very quickly, there is no question about that," Casini told reporters. "There is a ship that is launching small ships 75 to 100 miles from the shore, our goal is to take the mother ship."

 

The International Maritime Board has said that after two years of relative calm, 32 pirate attacks had been reported in Somalia since mid-March.

 

Somalia has been without a central government since 1991, when rival warlords ousted Mohamed Siad Barre.

[Jumatatu]

Originally posted by BN:

Its hard to believe they would spend this amount of money on piracy when MP's aren't paid, local and regional governments are bankrupt and the populous is in dire need of basic necessities.

Indeed..! And the question where will the money come from? IT seems a deal has been established between sponsor countries, the TFG and Foreign countries. Where by funding is allocated for Somalia but actually never leaves the sponsor countries, and the TFG get their cut.

$50m deal just to protect the coast, this must be a laugh. Wonder how much it will cost get basic necessaties?

[Sky]

The TFG probably believes that this action will cause the International Community to bring more financial support on the table after witnessing this action of the TFG, which might impress the IC. Risky move though, the results might be null and void.

 

I have a better suggestion though. As seen in Iraq, there are a lot of benefits to using PMCs Private Military Companies or to be blunt; Mercenaries. The Geneva Convention doesn't apply to these guys for starters.

 

L3, CSC or Northrup Grumman should be contracted to take down Yalaxow and Qanyare and there key supporters.

[General Duke]

Indeed the pirates is a small obsticle compared to some inside the territories. As for the 50 million its another silly mistake, one of many.

[Jumatatu]

Originally posted by Sky:

L3, CSC or Northrup Grumman should be contracted to take down Yalaxow and Qanyare and there key supporters.

Looool...! Cause you guys with your adeero could not do , now you want to hire 'mercenaries'...bloody chickens you lot are...

[BN]

And the question where will the money come from?

Clearly, it wont come from the TFG as it is cash strapped. As you alluded to, it seems that donors are 'giving' funds to Somalia[TFG], who then conviently 'gives' it back to private companies from those same donor countries.

Another reason for this may be that the TFG is hoping this end to illegal fishing will result in lucrative legal contracts between the Fisheries Ministery[H.A. Farah] and foreign fishing vessels.

 

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Somalia, US firm sign deal to guard coastline

www.chinaview.cn 2005-11-26 02:31:45

 

NAIROBI, Nov. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Transitional Federal Government of Somalia on Friday signed an agreement with a US-based maritime security firm to protect and control its territorial waters.

 

The two-year agreement signed by Somali Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Hassan Abshir Farah and Peter Casini, President of Topcat Marine Security, will help fight terrorism, curb illegal fishing and combat pirates, who have used speed boats, automatic weapons and satellite phones to target UN-chartered ships and other vessels.

 

"The comprehensive agreement will create a maritime security program to protect and control all Somali waters within its exclusive economic zone," said Farah after signing the deal in Nairobi.

 

"This agreement includes the creation of five coastal security bases including advanced communications equipment, high speed patrol boats, ground vehicles, and several helicopters to patrol the entire Somalia coastline and its territorial waters," he said.

 

"Also included in this program will be a comprehensive trainingpackage for coast guard, special forces, and all other necessary personnel to continue the safe enforcement of Somali sovereignty for decades to come," Farah added.

 

The agreement came after the International Maritime Bureau (IMB)reported an alarming increase in attacks off the southern and eastern coast of Somalia and appealed to US and NATO warships in the region to protect vessels sailing near the Somali coast, an important shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.

 

Pirates have launched over 20 attacks against ships off anarchic Somalia since March 15, said the London-based IMB, which tracks piracy around the world.

 

Topcoat president said his firm will fight piracy, theft of natural resources and terrorism within Somali borders and its territorial waters.

 

"Our unique, patented, high speed, low profile patrol vessels will deliver a major blow to the pirates, and terrorists that currently plague Somali territorial waters," said Casini who promised to begin the operations next year.

 

"Poachers will now be caught and brought to justice. Legal fishing will now be the norm with permits being required through the Somali fishing ministry and foreign ships fishing illegally will have their fishing catches seized, incur several penalties and possible confiscation of their vessels," Casini warned.

 

He said Cobra patrol vessels to be used in the operation can reach speeds of up to 90 miles per hour in less than 30 seconds, the worst nightmare for pirates in rickety old boat.

 

"The pirates, and those fomenting terror will have no place to run or hide," he warned.

 

Somalia, which has the longest coast in Africa at 3,025-km, lies along key shipping lanes linking the Mediterranean with the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.

 

The United States and NATO have warships in the region to protect vessels in the deeper waters farther from shore, but they are not permitted to operate in Somalia's territorial waters.

 

The new transitional government, formed during lengthy peace talks in neighboring Kenya, is struggling to establish itself in Somalia as it faces internal divisions and opposition from Islamicmilitants and warlords who benefit from the ongoing anarchy.

 

Somalia has had no effective central government since opposition leaders ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

 

They then turned on each other, transforming this nation of 7 million people into a patchwork of battling fiefdoms ruled by heavily armed militias.

[Xudeedi]

BN, the deal is a great initiative for the TFG and should add to its success of convincing neighboring countries to ban flights from small airstrips that belong to warlords in Mogadisho.

 

 

You might say that there are pressing concerns that the money should have been used for, but the hampering of humanitarian responses by the piracy is more pressing than any other needs.

[Xoogsade]

The small airports have better securities and people use them to bring in the necessary goods. Some of the media focused on Qat and the Qat dealers who use the airports, however, parallel to these qat dealers, are the rest of business people who utilize them as well. The natural sea ports are also used to bring in the goods to the city and export them(the imported goods) to other parts of the country and outside the country as well but they(these sea ports alone) are not enough. For these vital financial reasons, A/Y and his government have no right to close them. The warlords make money the same way the thugs in Jowhar make money by representing the good somali name which they sell. When they can present an alternative to these warlords, when they live among the communities and they can prove they work for them, that is when their political steps will be viewed as worthy of anything. With the political stalemate, people shouldn't be inconvinienced in the tag of war between individuals.

[Jumatatu]

^^Hear Hear...!

 

 

[Castro]

Now that we have employed a marine mercenary group, we need a land one too. If we follow the TFG's argument to its local conclusion, the only way to rid ourselves of land based and sea based thugs, is to have top notch trained killers for hire. Now Blackwater is not looking so far fetched after all, is it? You can call me a visionary if you like.

 

Food for thought.

[Duufaan]

I agree, the detail is not clear. I do not think the foreign countries will pay the entire bill. Much of the money will come from selling fishing rights. The government will get few millions each year from the same company. It is just remind us Putland Hart Group. However it is a good political move, building a foundation and establishing a base for international support and recognition. "We are the government of Somalia and you can do business with us". More lucrative oil contracts will be next, but that must to go china or Indonesia, because they are willing to do business Somalia now with security situation

[Abwaan]

I wonder what will be next. Maybe sign an agreement with Ethiopia to disarm Somalis.

 

Waa ayaandarro inaan goobjoog ka nahay Dagaal-oogeyaashii dalka burburiyey, dadka Soomaaliyeedna silicaan baday oo haddada dhulkii qayb qayb u gadanaya.

[Xoogsade]

Originally posted by Duufaan:

I agree, the detail is not clear. I do not think the foreign countries will pay the entire bill. Much of the money will come from selling fishing rights. The government will get few millions each year from the same company. It is just remind us Putland Hart Group. However it is a good political move, building a foundation and establishing a base for international support and recognition. "We are the government of Somalia and you can do business with us". More lucrative oil contracts will be next, but that must to go china or Indonesia, because they are willing to do business Somalia now with security situation

Recognition comes from somalis and this government lacks that. No amount of foreign mercenaries or foreign recognition will get you the support of those who don't want to deal with you. And if there be support for the junta in Jowhar, how will they enforce their will on others? I don't see any means for them to go beyond that small town run by Warlord dheere. Hala iska riyoodo while the rest is "business" as usual.

[BN]

Maakhir,

 

Let us wait and see how good of an intiative this proves to be. While it may help with humanitarian aid delivery, if i gets off the ground or implemented, but what sort of a reaction might this create? Also, it may fight pirates but I'm sure that it will also be used against the Opposition in Mogadishu as well as the business community who do a great deal of commerce between the Middle East and Somalia. Will this result in these groups coming to the TFG fold or standing even more against the government? There are a lot of unknowns and we'll have to watch the developments closely.

 

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Queries on Somali security deal

 

Story by KEVIN J. KELLEY in New York and STEPHEN MBURU in Nairobi

 

Publication Date: 11/27/2005

 

 

US news reports indicate that a United States-based company recently chosen to end the threat of piracy off Somalia’s coast has a troubled financial history.

 

Top Cat Marine Security, which signed a two-year, $55 million deal with the Somalia government in Nairobi on Friday, failed at one point last year to meet its payroll, according to The Post and Courier, a newspaper published in Charleston, South Carolina, where Top Cat had been operating.

 

The paper also reported that Peter Casini, Top Cat’s head of research and development, "is tied to a string of failed business ventures and corporate bankruptcies." Casini took part along with Somalia Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi in the contract signing ceremony in Nairobi.

 

While Mr Casini denied the reports, he was reluctant to answer questions when contacted on the telephone.

 

On whether the company had failed to meet its payroll, he said: "No. You may be talking about the wrong company. Our company is Top Cat Design.''

 

However, contacted via e-mail for comment, Maryann Johnson, Top Cat's vice president for public relations, said the story "was written years ago, by a small town reporter whose sole source of information was a convicted felon. Topcat was never contacted directly for comment on this article".

 

Ms Johnson said: "Topcat remains financially secure and stable, with contracts around the world with some of the largest defence contractors."

 

She also said that Mr Casini was head of research and development and had been awarded the notable honour of being named one of the top three boat designers in the world.

 

She added that Mr Casini was an employee and not the owner of the company.

 

In signing the deal with Somalia, Casini said his company would target a mother ship off the Somali coast that is launching smaller craft to attack commercial vessels.

 

Top Cat has carried out contracts with government agencies in the US.

 

Last February, it delivered its Cobra Predator Patrol Boat to a counterterrorism team in the state of Maryland. The boat was purchased to help safeguard a nuclear power plant near Washington, DC.

 

A United States senator has also praised the effectiveness of Top Cat’s Cobra Predator.

 

Source: NationMedia

[Duufaan]

"Recognition comes from somalis and this government lacks that. No amount of foreign mercenaries or foreign recognition will get you the support of those who don't want to deal with you. And if there be support for the junta in Jowhar, how will they enforce their will on others? I don't see any means for them to go beyond that small town run by Warlord dheere. Hala iska riyoodo while the rest is "business" as usual."

 

What somali people are you refering? please stopp nonsense, somali poeple do not have voice and some region they are hostages, like banadir region. for any future they must to be liberated.

 

At least for this deal, they receave the food donated by WFP

 

You do not want them go beyond Jowhar! They are trying and the difference is clear!