Pirates actually are friendly—to each other. A hijacked German freighter was on its way early Saturday to help the four comrades currently holding hostage American ship captain Richard Phillips. How much do Somali pirates want in exchange for the release of Phillips? A cool $2 million, an onshore pirate told Reuters on Friday. "Knowing that the Americans will not destroy this German ship and its foreign crew, [the pirates] hope they can meet their friends on the lifeboat," the pirate said. Phillips has been held on a small lifeboat in the Indian Ocean since surrendering himself to spare his crew. He attempted to escape this morning but was quickly recaptured. A U.S. naval destroyer is nearby and aiding in negotiations and another American ship is on its way, but the pirates say they'll fight if attacked and are now threatening to kill Phillips, according to some reports.
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