U.S. Marines boarded and seized a cargo ship held by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the first known U.S. attempt of such an operation in the region.
The May 30 arrest of a Somali man flying to Mexico raises the question of whether the Somali jihadist group al Shabaab has decided to target the United States.
A spokesman for Somali Islamist militia Hizbul Islam said the group intends to wipe out Somali piracy -- an impossible task for any one group to accomplish. (With STRATFOR map)
Anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia are turning to offensive tactics -- targeting pirates' "mother ships" -- instead of remaining on the defensive.
China has suggested it might send naval forces to intercept a bulk carrier hijacked by Somali pirates, who are threatening to kill the ship's 25 crew members.
