World Piracy Up 40% In 1999

Pirate attacks worldwide surged 40 percent in 1999 as economic and political troubles in Indonesia spurred a dramatic increase in incidents in Southeast Asia, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). The number of actual and attempted pirate raids increased to 285 last year from 202 in 1998, agency officials said. Indonesia accounted for 113 of the attacks, almost double its 1998 total of 60. The increase is probably due to the economic situation and political instability following the resignation of former President Suharto in 1998, officials said.