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Pirates have PR pros too

The pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian ship loaded with tanks and ammo have—PR representation. Arrrrn’t you surprised?

His name is Sugule Ali. In a story Tuesday about the recent piracy incident off the coast of Somali, Tuesday, The New York Times refers to Ali as the pirates’ spokesman.

“In a 45-minute-long interview, Mr. Sugule expounded on everything from what the pirates want—‘just money’—to why they were doing this—‘to stop illegal fishing and dumping in our waters’—to what they have to eat on board—rice, meat, bread, spaghetti, “‘you know, normal human-being food,’” Jeffrey Gettleman wrote for the Times.

No mention of Arrrrby’s?

The Times apparently called the pirates on a satellite phone—just gave the pirates a call—and talked to several of these buccaneers, but “only Mr. Sugule was authorized to be quoted,” the story said. The paper noted that, despite looming American warships “bristling with firepower,” Mr. Sugule didn’t sound afraid.

“You only die once,” he told the Times.

This guy was born to be in P Arrrr.


Comments (3)

Anonymous II:

I thought the Digital Millennium Copyright Act made piracy illegal.

Wow, pirates who have PR reps as opposed to PR types being pirates!

I wonder if they use social media, you know, for SEO purposes when you Google "Pirates."

Anonymous:

Yarrr! Shiver me timbers!

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