Germany moved up forces to attack Somali pirates, reports say

May 2, 2009, 12:40 GMT

Berlin - Germany moved more than 200 elite commandoes into the vicinity of a ship held by Somali pirates several days ago before deciding to call off the armed rescue attempt, two news magazines said Saturday.

Der Spiegel and Focus said the operation, the second planned against the pirates, had been intended to recapture the container ship Hansa Stavanger on Wednesday.

Senior Berlin officials ordered a halt after deciding the risks to the hostages and troops were too great, the magazines said.

They said the GSG 9 paramilitary unit of the German federal police and Navy combat frogmen were to have attempted to seize the German freighter, but found the pirates had doubled their watch on the captured ship, where 24 crew are being held.

The Defence and Interior Ministries in Berlin declined to confirm the account to the German Press Agency dpa. 'We don't discuss operational matters,' an interior spokesman said.

The Hansa Stavanger was seized 400 nautical miles from Somalia on April 4.

According to news reports, the crack police prepared to recapture the hijacked German vessel on the high seas from the pirates, but were thwarted when the pirates took the Hansa Stavanger back to their lair on the Bay of Harardere at high speed.

Spiegel said the German recapture team was moved into the cargo ship's vicinity Wednesday on board the US Navy helicopter carrier USS Boxer. It said Berlin had requested US assistance, but US national security adviser James Jones declined to back the operation itself.

Focus said the unit would return to Germany in the new week.

GSG 9 is Germany's main anti-terrorist unit, trained to use surprise and lethal force to end hostage-takings.