The BBC is reporting that the French warship Nivose has captured 11 pirates off the coast of Kenya.  According to the article:

“It had detected a “mother ship”, or command vessel, on Tuesday, and observed it overnight before launching an assault early on Wednesday, the ministry said.”

In the past few days, four ships have been seized by the pirates and other ships have been attacked.  The pirates have sworn revenge on France and the United States because of the killing of pirates in recent rescue operations carried out by those two countries. 

According to the article:

“In recent months Britain, the US, and the European Union have signed memorandums of understanding with Nairobi that Kenya will act as a kind of international tribunal for pirate crimes.

Several Somali pirates turned over by the US and Germany are already undergoing legal action there but, so far, Paris prefers to try captured pirates in French courts.”

Congratulations to the French for taking the lead in dealing with a truly international problem.