Between Ransom Payment and Terrorism

With the high-profile payment of a ransom to release British hostage, Judith Tebbutt, it appears that certain governments believe the banning of ransom payments would end Somali piracy.
 There are concerns across shipping that such governments are actively seeking links between Somali pirates and al-Shabaab. This would give grounds for banning ransoms.
 At the moment there is little evidence to terror link claims, but if the US decides that is the route they wish to follow, then it could stop ransom payments.

With the high-profile payment of a ransom to release British hostage, Judith Tebbutt, it appears that certain governments believe the banning of ransom payments would end Somali piracy.
 There are concerns across shipping that such governments are actively seeking links between Somali pirates and al-Shabaab. This would give grounds for banning ransoms.
 At the moment there is little evidence to terror link claims, but if the US decides that is the route they wish to follow, then it could stop ransom payments.
 It is not too hard to make the case for the al-shabaab links.It has been widely reported that some Somalis who are affiliated to al-Shabaab have taken small cuts of ransom payments — somewhere in the region of 5%-10%, but experts have been eager to stress that these are individual actions, and not terrorists.
 However, as has been said before, “if you pay money in bad places to bad people who do bad things, then you can’t be surprised with where it ends up.” Once the payments have been made then, of course, all bets are off. It is in the system, and in places like Somalia, the “system” (such that it is) will likely bring the cash close to terrorists at some point.
 Governments can either accept that, or they can take knee jerk and potentially dangerous, divisive decisions. If there is a ban on ransom payments there is only one group of people who will initially suffer – and that is the seafarers who are currently held.
 We could see death and violence on a rapidly increasing scale, and is that worth taking the risk? Its far better to follow the ransom money than to ban its payment.