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 overran the tuna boat Alakrana on October 2 and took its 36 crew hostage. The two suspects are set to face trial in Spain on kidnapping and other charges.

Somali pirates have said previously they will not negotiate a ransom for the release of the Alakrana until their two colleagues have been freed by the Spanish authorities.

"They have taken three of our crew and have given a deadline of two days," the Alakrana's first mate, Ricardo Blach, told Spanish television by telephone from the captured ship.

"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 said.

Spain's deputy defence minister said military options had been looked at but the government would prefer a negotiated settlement to the hostage crisis.

"At the moment the way forward is through negotiation but all military options have been studied if we needed to use them," said minister Constantino Mendez.

He said the Somali detainees were "at the mercy of the Spanish justice system, given that they captured a Spanish boat. And this situation is not negotiable".

"Our aim is not only to resolve this situation but also to bring to justice the other kidnappers so that the pirates do not act with impunity," he said.