Shipping specialists have suggested that piracy ransoms are likely to be financing Al Qaeda terrorism cells in Somalia. One expert, who insisted on anonymity because of the sensitive nature of his revelations, told Complinet that piracy money was funding terrorism through London links. The piracy problem has caused premiums in related insurance policies to rocket and has made cover hard to obtain in some cases. The expert said: "This is quite a highly political issue. My personal opinion is that terrorism funding probably happens and the funds are channelled through the Somali community in London."
Concerns that piracy funds terrorism have found a new public voice since the Foreign Office's recent refusal to pay the $7m ransom that Somalian pirates had initially demanded to release the British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, whom they had taken hostage.
Lord Joplin, rapporteur of one of NATO parliamentary assembly committees, told Complinet: "The government ought to increase its
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