A Hero's Welcome

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ON SUNDAY, writes Amr Ghoneim from Suez, quarantine procedures delayed the celebration of the return of 33 Egyptian fishermen held hostage in Somalia, held at the Ataka Port. With the help of Egyptian law enforcement, the fishermen managed to free themselves and seize eight pirate hostages from among their former captors, who were taken into custody on arrival to be tried at an Egyptian court. On arriving at 5am, they received a hero's welcome presided over by Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmed Rizk and Egyptian Ambassador to Somalia Said Mursi as well as Damietta and Suez governors Mohamed Fathi El-Baradei and Seif Galal, who conveyed President Hosni Mubarak's warmest regards. According to Rizk, Egyptian Foreign Ministry officials headed by Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit had done their utmost to complete this, the fifth but the most dangerous operation by Egyptian authorities against piracy. For his part Mursi said their had been no contact between the embassy and the pirates or the Somali government, and that the fate of the pirates now in custody would be determined by lawful means. (photos: Khaled El-Fiqi)