Somali piracy has been a persistent issue off the coast of Somalia. Armed Somali pirates monitor ships and launch attacks to hijack them. When pirates are captured, they are often sent to prisons in Kenya to face prosecution. International naval forces patrol the waters to combat piracy, but competing interests between countries may undermine cooperation. The UN has called for more countries to help Kenya prosecute pirates. Somali piracy has escalated in recent months, with more ships being hijacked, threatening international shipping routes.

1. Piracy In Somali Said Ahmed Brianna Marrelli

2. An armed Somali pirate keeps vigil along the coastline at Hobyo town, northeastern Somalia in 2009. Men like these are used to keep watch of any ships comming there way for future attacks.

3. Suspected Somali pirates are escorted by Kenyan policemen as they arrive at a law court in the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa, October 13, 2010, after they were arrested and handed over to Kenyan authorities for prosecution. This particular group were found by he U.S Navy and were handed to Kenyen authorities.

4. A U.S. Navy ship docks at the Kenya Port of Mombasa October 12, 2010. In the waters of the Indian Ocean, international warships keep watch against Somalipirates but in the long run, newly arrived navies from India, China, Russia and elsewhere may be as much rivals as allies.

5. The United Nations Secretary General's special advisor on legal issues related to Piracy, Jack Lang , speaks to journalists in Nairobi, Kenya,Tuesday, Oct.12, 2010. "More countries must help Kenya to prosecute Somali pirates" said secretary General Lang

6. An American naval speed boat patrols near the sides of the mother naval warship MV USS Princeton at the port of Mombasa, Kenya Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 soonafter the ship docked in Mombasa. TheUnited States Navy handed over nine pirates to the Kenyen authorities as they attempted to hijack a German merchant shipping vessel headed to Vietnam on Oct. 8 this year while armed with two AK-47 riffles.

7. The United Nations Secretary General's special advisor on piracy legal issues Jack Lang visits Somali Pirate prisioniers at the Shimo la Tewa GK Prison Monday Oct. 11, 2010, in Mombasa, Kenya. Lang visited the prison to speak and see the conditions of the more than one hundred pirates who are on remand and those already jailed.

8. A pirate boat pictured in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia in 2009. The European Union's anti-piracy mission said that pirates hijacked a Japanese shipcarrying 20 Filipino sailors in the Somali Basin

9. A handout showing alleged Somali pirates surrendering to Indian Naval Forces in The Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia in September 2010. The UnitedNations special advisor on piracy said Monday "authorities must tackle the menace seriously," but stopped short of making proposals.

10. Though piracy has been a problem off the coast of Somalia for a long time, the last month has seen a rise in their frequency and intensity. This Chinese fishing vessel was attacked on November16, 2010.

11. In September, the pirates attracted intertional attention when they boadrded the Faina, a Ukaninian ship with Russian tanks and other weapons. After this attack on thr Faina the United States really started trying to stop these pirates.

12. The pirates' arsenal icludes powerful weapons like rocket-proplelled gernades, used to attack a cruise liner in 2005, above. If these raids on international ships continue, Somalia can prove to be a serious threat as they did back in 1993.

13. These eight pirates are being held in a jail in Mombassa, Kenya. They were capured by the British navy.

14. This ship is able to transport two million barrels of oil, the Saudi-owned Sirius Star is one of the pirates' latest seizure.

15. A gang of Somali pirates sits on a beach north of Mogadishu. Of the 90 or so ships this year, at least 14 are still controlled by the hijackers.

16. A North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) armada including ships from UK, Turkey and Germany steams through the Suez Canal, en route to the Indian Ocean. Theri mission is to police the waters off the coast of Somalia.

17. Latest Ships Seized by Pirates: Timeline 2010 Oct. 10/10 Japanease (Cargo Ship )seized Izumi Sep. 09/10 MIV Megellan Star was Captured but 9 pirates were captured (Container Ship) Aug. 08/10 the MIV Syrian Star (Freighter) was captured, but was releassed soon after the seizure July 04/10 the Greek MT Motivator (Chemical Tanker) was hijacked and has not yet been recovered June 02/10 a Panamanian (Cargo Ship) was hijacked, and was later released by secruity forces. June 28/10 a Chinease (Chemical Tanker) was hijacked and has not yet been recovered. May 05/10 a Russian (Tanker) was hijacked but was later retrieved by a Russian warship April 01/10 there was attempted hijack on the USS Nicholas (Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate) but the attack failed and five pirates were captured May 2010 the Japanease SS Oceanic (Cruise Ship was hijacked) but the cruise liner avoided capture and the hijacker were arrested June 2/10 a Panamanian Cargo Ship was hijacked but was later released secruity forces. June 20/10 a Chinease Chemical Tanker containing Ethylemne Glycol was hijacked and has not yet been recovered.

18. Citations List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2010. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 18, 2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_attacked_by_Somali_pirates_in_2010 > Piracy in Somalia. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 12, 2010 from< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy_in_Somalia > Somali Pirates Pictture. Google. Retrived October 12, 2010 from http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=somali+pirates+picture&wrapid=tlif12874640062231&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=TiS9TIvIFI6qsAPwhqWWDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum= >