Royal Navy Bows to the Pirates: Shame as Navy seizes 17 armed Somalis, gives them halal meat and nicotine patches... then sets them free!

When a Royal Navy warship captured a crew of Somali pirates, it seemed like a rare chance to strike back at the ruthless sea gangsters.

The 17 outlaws were armed with an arsenal of AK 47s and rocket-propelled grenades, and had forced hostages on a hijacked fishing vessel to work as slaves for three months.

But instead of bringing them to justice, the British servicemen were ordered to provide the pirates halal meals, medical checks, cigarettes – and in one case even a nicotine patch – before releasing them in their own boats. (seems UK harsh justice stretches to the seas now)

The extraordinary treatment – revealed in a Radio 4 documentary to be broadcast tonight – came at a time when Somali piracy is causing mayhem to shipping in the Indian Ocean.

More than £60million was paid in ransoms last year and pirates currently hold 30 ships and nearly 800 hostages. Read More