Friday January 10, 2025
Mohamed Abdi Afweyne (center), flanked by associates, disembarks from a plane in Mogadishu on Thursday following his release from a Belgian prison after serving a decade-long sentence for piracy-related charges. SUPPLIED
Mogadishu (HOL) — Businessman Mohamed Abdi Afweyne, who had been detained in a Belgian prison for more than 10 years, returned to Mogadishu on Thursday after completing a sentence related to piracy charges filed by the Belgian government.
Afweyne, once dubbed the "kingpin" of Somali piracy, was arrested in 2013 in a dramatic sting operation by Belgian authorities. He had been lured to Brussels under the pretense of advising on a documentary about his life. Upon landing, he and his accomplice, Mohamed Aden Tiiceey—a former governor of Himan and Heeb—were arrested and later convicted of piracy and kidnapping related to the 2009 hijacking of the Belgian dredging vessel Pompei.
Speaking to the media, Afweyne revealed that during his incarceration, he was held in a cramped cell with inadequate ventilation, making his confinement particularly harsh.
Afweyne's arrest was a noteworthy milestone in the international fight against Somali piracy, a criminal enterprise that had disrupted global shipping lanes for nearly a decade. At its peak in 2011, Somali piracy cost the world economy an estimated $7 billion annually and generated $160 million in ransom payments. Among the most notorious incidents attributed to Afweyne's network were the 2008 hijacking of the Saudi oil supertanker Sirius Star and the Ukrainian vessel MV Faina, which carried Soviet-era battle tanks.
Initially, Somali pirates, including Afweyne, claimed they were defending Somali waters from illegal foreign fishing. However, this narrative quickly gave way to a highly organized criminal enterprise. Afweyne was known for recruiting across clan lines and training pirates in Puntland, turning Somalia's coastline into a no-go zone for shipping companies.
Belgium's innovative sting operation was a response to the challenges of prosecuting pirate leaders, who often operated in Somalia beyond the reach of international law. Federal prosecutor Johan Delmulle explained that Belgian authorities, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of international arrest warrants, posed as filmmakers and spent months gaining the trust of Tiiceey, who eventually convinced Afweyne to participate in the faux documentary.
"Too often, these people remain beyond reach while they let others do the dirty work," Delmulle said after the arrests. Afweyne and Tiiceey were detained immediately upon arrival in Brussels and later sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Afweyne's return to Mogadishu was met with mixed reactions. Community elders and leaders celebrated his arrival, but others expressed concern over the legacy of Somali piracy. Afweyne's network not only caused untold suffering to seafarers—who were often held hostage for months in dire conditions—but also tarnished Somalia's international reputation.
In 2013, months before his arrest, Afweyne announced his retirement from piracy, claiming he had persuaded 120 others to abandon the trade. Critics, however, viewed his retirement as a strategic move rather than a genuine transformation, citing declining profitability due to enhanced global security measures.
The international community responded to Somali piracy with coordinated naval patrols, armed security aboard vessels, and improved tracking systems. These measures significantly reduced successful hijackings, from 24 ships in 2011 to just seven in 2012. Analysts believe these developments and the increased risks of capture played a role in Afweyne's decision to exit piracy.
However, the challenges of prosecuting pirates persist. Jurisdictional complexities, the cost of trials, and limited cooperation from Somali authorities have made it challenging to bring pirate leaders to justice. Afweyne reportedly enjoyed political protection, with allegations that the former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed issued him a diplomatic passport.