Somali pirates threaten to kill Spanish hostages

MADRID (Reuters) - Somali pirates have threatened to kill three captive crew members from a Spanish fishing vessel if two suspected pirates being held in Spain are not freed, a senior officer aboard the vessel said on Friday.

The Spanish navy captured two Somalis in the Indian Ocean shortly after pirates seized the tuna boat Alakrana on Oct. 2 and took its 36 crew hostage. The suspects are set to face trial in Spain on kidnapping and other charges.

The pirates took three crew members ashore and threatened to kill them, but Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos later said the three had been returned to the vessel.

"The three captives who were taken ashore have been returned on board; they are on the boat," he told a news conference, saying he had received the news from Somali Prime Minister Omar Abrirashid Ali Sharmarke.

"We will succeed in bringing the crew home safe and sound," Moratinos said.

Earlier, the Alakrana's first mate, Ricardo Blach, said the Somali pirates had given the Spanish authorities two days to free the Somali prisoners awaiting trial in Spain.

The pirates had previously said they would not negotiate a ransom for the release of the Alakrana until the two had been

freed.

"If in two days there are no signs that those two Somalis are being sent back here, they are going to kill them (the three crew members) and immediately take another three hostages. This is a lottery," Blach told Spanish television by telephone from the captured ship.