After six days on board the Danish warship Absalon, ten Somali pirates were put ashore on a Somali beach during the night and set free. All 10 pirates were in good health and were landed in the area they are believed to have come from.

No guns
Although their personal effects were returned to them, all weapons, communications devices and ladders were confiscated.

The decision to release the alleged pirates came following discussions Tuesday between Denmark's foreign and defence ministries on exactly what should happen to the 10 men. Although Absalon is on a U.N. sanctioned mission and part of an international force, the legal conditions surrounding the detention of suspected pirates is unclear.

Illusion
"It is an illusion to think that these 10 would be brought to trial by the Somali authorities," says Commander Dan B. Termansen of Admiral Danish Fleet Headquarters.

Comm. Termansen said that if countries from which pirates emanate are not prepared to take cases to court 'there's nothing we can do'.

Anti-pirate
Denmark currently heads the multinational Combined Task Force 150, which is a voluntary multinational force under an indirect U.N. mandate.