Somalia, the new Barbary? : piracy and Islam in the Horn of Africa / Martin N. Murphy.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Introduction -- 2. Somalia: a failed state? -- 3. Somali piracy: 1989-2006 -- 4. Piracy and fishing -- 5. The principal piracy groups: 1996-2006 -- 6. The attack on the Seabourn Spirit and its consequences -- 7. A clan-based society -- 8. The Barre dictatorship and its aftermath -- 9. The rise and fall of the TNG and the rise of the TFG -- 10. Economic motivation for turmoil -- 11. Puntland: the piracy sanctuary -- 12. Somalia: without a government but not ungoverned -- 13. The growth of political Islam -- 14. The link to terrorism -- 15. The rise of the Islamic Courts Union -- 16. The ICU come to power -- 17. The ICU's fall -- 18. The return of the pirate gangs -- 19. The consequences of reward -- 20. Why piracy became so virulent: the political dimension -- 21. Why piracy became so profitable: the organizational dimension -- 22. Legal measures -- 23. The naval response -- 24. Somali piracy and terrorism -- 25. The further fall of a fallen state -- 26. Al-Shabaab and the growth of Islamism in southern Somalia -- 27. Somalia and Barbary -- 28. Conclusions.

Somali piracy is repeatedly associated with the historical specter of barbary. The world now fears Somalia has taken on its mantle by becoming a safe haven for terrorists wishing to wreak havoc on civilized societies. Western policy towards Somalia focuses on the country's poverty-stricken Islamic population, but are these efforts misdirected? Is an aggressive naval solution to the piracy problem adequate? Is the failure of the Somali state a useful explanation for piracy and will violent Islamism exploit modern piracy for its own ends? Martin Murphy, author of the definitive guide to modern maritime piracy and terrorism, employs his critically-acclaimed approach to review the history, motivation, organization, criminal methods, and operational tactics of Somali piracy, from its initial manifestation in the early-1990s to today. He links their activities and fortunes to the rise and fall of Somalia's political groups; explains how and why violent Islamists operate within Somalia; and outlines the extent to which they may exploit maritime dimensions in the future. He concludes with a consideration of the various political and military solutions being used to meet these challenges and whether they will resolve them effectively.