BRUSSELS - A NATO warship from Canada intercepted two boats carrying suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, seizing a large amount of firearms, rocket-propelled grenades and hook ladders.
The frigate HMCS Winnipeg chased the boats and eventually boarded them, releasing the suspected pirates after confiscating the equipment, the alliance said Monday. NATO does not have an agreement with Kenya to hand them over for trial.
NATO has five warships on anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast. Similar operations are also being carried out by the European Union and countries including the United States, China, Russia and India.
The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, crossed by 20,000 ships a year, and a prime target for Somali pirates.
