Britney Spears is being used by British security companies off the horn of Africa as a secret weapon against Western-hating Somali pirates.
The singer’s top hits, like “Oops! I Did It Again” and “Baby One More Time,” when blasted at approaching Somali raiders, have proved to be the most effective at deterring kidnap attacks, merchant navy officer Rachel Owens revealed, according to the U.K.’s Metro.

“Her songs were chosen by the security team because they thought the pirates would hate them most,” said Second Officer Owens. “These guys can’t stand Western culture or music, making Britney’s hits perfect … It’s so effective the ship’s security rarely needs to resort to firing guns.”
“As soon as the pirates get a blast of Britney, they move on as quickly as they can,” she added, the U.K.’s Mirror reported.
Steven Jones, of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry, said that the pirates will go to any lengths to avoid the music.
“I’d imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention,” he said, Metro reported.
Ships in the area are in constant danger of Somali pirates raiding their ships and holding crews hostage for hefty ransoms. In 2011, there were 176 attacks on ships by pirates off the Horn of Africa, Metro reported.
According to Mirror, a spokesman for the British Association of Private Security Companies said that playing pop music “has been proven as one of the most effective ways of fending off attackers.”

“I’d imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention,” he said, Metro reported.

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:
Huh, real life Noise Marines

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Now i just feel sorry for britney spears.

 Avatar 720 wrote:
Disappointed they didn't use this:

 AduroT wrote:
I jus watched Captain Phillips the other night and was wondering how much of a problem the pirates still were as I've not heard much about it in awhile.

(CNN) -- Pirates off the Horn of Africa hauled in hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years -- and funneled those funds into drugs, prostitution, real estate and other ventures.
Somali pirates and their peers hijacking vessels in the region made about $400 million in ransom over the past eight years, according to a report published Friday.
The report, Pirate Trails, was conducted by the United Nations crime unit, Interpol and the World Bank. It tracks the underbelly of the pirate world in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles and Somalia.
Most of the funds came from exchanging captives for ransom, an increasingly sophisticated process mostly controlled from Somalia.
In the boat patrolling for pirates
In total, 179 ships were hijacked off the coast of Somalia and Horn of Africa between April 2005 and the end of 2012. About 85% were released for ransom.
Kingpins and foot soldiers
Pirate financiers, considered the "money kingpins," earned the most loot -- about 30% to 50% of the total ransom paid, the study shows.
Low level pirates, mostly foot soldiers sent to the high seas to do the dirty work, earn between $30,000 and $75,000 a vessel.
Pirates who board the vessel first or use their own weapons in an operation get a bonus $10,000, the study says.
Rewards aside, there is also punishment.
Those who refuse to follow orders, mistreat the crew or fall asleep on the job get fined, according to the study,
And each step of the operation is tracked, with a lot of beneficiaries along the way.
"When a ship is caught, the pirates call at the city. Everybody celebrates," the study says. "When the ship comes at the port, a crew comes to secure it. Everything is written down, every food, drink, any kind of transaction. The final amount will be deducted from the ransom at the end. The investor pays."
Pimps, cooks and militia benefit too
Cooks, pimps, lawyers and the militia controlling ports also get a piece of the pie.
The pirates' money is "typically spent on alcohol, khat, and prostitutes," the report said. "Proceeds from piracy are also reinvested into the financing of future pirate operations and may support the purchase of real estate, investment in the khat trade, and other business investments and ventures."
Pirates in Somali areas controlled by the al Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab also pay a development tax to access the ports, according to the study.
Although the piracy trade is controlled from Somalia, its effects spill into surrounding areas.
Proceeds are moved by the kingpins across borders through smuggling, money laundering and wire transfers, the study shows. And the funds are widely distributed among various industries.
"Pirate financiers invest into a range of sectors ... some of these proceeds are recycled into financing criminal activities, including further piracy acts, human trafficking and investing in militias and military capacities on land in Somalia," the study says.
Expensive menace
Khat, a narcotic plant popular in the region, is another favored investment, with pirates establishing their stakes in the trade. In neighboring Kenya, the drug is traded without much government oversight, making the nation a lucrative supplier, the study shows.
It may benefit some people financially, but piracy has evolved into an international nightmare, hurting economies and sending the cost of living soaring.
Though incidents of piracy have plummeted since 2011, it costs the global economy $18 billion a year in increased trade expenses, according to the study. It has reduced maritime activity in affected waters, affected tourism and led to the closure of money transfer services, a lifeline for some communities.
"Unchallenged, piracy is not only a menace to stability and security, but it also has the power to corrupt the regional and international economy," said Stuart Yikona, a World Bank senior financial sector specialist and the report's co-author.

 Jihadin wrote:
Well no royalty to be paid to her for the use of the songs

If we grab Bieber and catapult him at the pirates you think we get awarded for saving the world or go to jail....