Pirates who have successfully trafficked off the coast of Somalia near the Horn of Africa are reported by most news organizations to be fighters for several of the warlord factions which have ruled Somalia since the collapse of the government in 1991. The pirates are believed to number in the thousands, although there is no accurate count.Christian Science Monitor: Who are Somalia's pirates? (November 21, 2008)

In June 2009, Somali pirates captured a ship off the coast of Oman. It is the first time that pirates have committed armed robbery in this particular territory of ocean.AFP: Antiguan ship seized by pirates off Oman: NATO (June 12, 2009)

The main thread of most of the stories reported by news organizations in the world argue as the Christian Science Monitor has, that the pirates are freelance Somalis who are in it for the money, and they are allowed to roam the seas freely because their country has been in a political meltdown since the fall of the government in 1991.Christian Science Monitor: Who are Somalia's pirates? (November 21, 2008) However, that is not the only story told today.

The BBC reports that the pirates are made up of a sophisticated group of ex-fishermen, ex-militiamen and technical experts, who continue to reap lucrative rewards.BBC News: Somali pirates living the high life (October 28, 2008)

Johann Hari, writing in The Independent, argues that pirates are Somali patriots who are defending themselves against European privations including illicit nuclear waste dumping and illegal over-fishing.The Independent: Johann Hari: You are being lied to about pirates (January 5, 2009)

According to Al Jazeera's Global Pulse, much of the disarray in Somalia is the result of an ongoing war with Ethiopia. A group of Islamic militants took Mogadishu in 2006. Ethiopia and Somali government troops have since been fighting with the militants. In 2008, a cease fire was signed, but it was immediately broken. Ethiopia now occupies Mogadishu; and the Somali pirates claim they are defending the coasts from both Islamists and Ethiopians.YouTube: Global Pulse - 11/20/08: Somalia: Behind the Piracy

Somali pirates attempted to board an Italian cruise ship, the MSC Melody, near the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, but were repelled by the ship's crew. Gunfire was exchanged, no one on board the cruise ship was injured. A Spanish warship escorted the ship to safety.UPI: Pirates repelled from Italian cruise ship (April 26, 2009) On April 28, 2009, the Seychelles Coast Guard arrested nine pirates suspected of the attack on the MSC Melody.Associated Press: Seychelles Coast Guard arrests 9 (April 28, 2009)

On May 3, 2009, the French Navy captured 11 pirates after they tried to attack the military vessel Nivose. The Nivose has captured 24 suspected pirates in the past three weeks during the EU-backed anti-piracy operation.CNN: Pirates seized after threatening French navy ship (May 3, 2009)