Somali pirates hijack two more ships

By Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates seized a Greek cargo ship and a Yemeni fishing boat in the latest attacks demonstrating their ability to evade international naval forces, gunmen and officials said on Wednesday.

Patrols by a multinational naval force in the strategic shipping lanes that link Europe to Asia through the busy Gulf of Aden only appear to have forced the sea gangs to extend their range and strike deeper into the Indian Ocean.

One of the pirates, Hassan, told Reuters by telephone from the coastal town of Haradheere that three of his comrades were wounded while seizing the bulk carrier late on Tuesday.

"There was brief fighting before we captured it. Three of my friends were injured," he said, adding that its crew were safe.

Pirates from the failed Horn of Africa state are holding at least 13 vessels and more than 230 crew hostage, including a British couple whose yacht was hijacked off the Seychelles.

Spain's Defence Minister on Wednesday called for international cooperation to trace ransoms paid to the pirates, which she said were channelled through British-based law firms.

"The international community has to cut the source of funding, which gets to the pirates via payments made by European law firms," Carme Chacon told Spanish National Radio, singling out "certain British law firms."

Spain is trying to secure the release of fishing boat Alakrana, whose home port is in the Basque Country, which was seized on October 2 with 36 crew on board.