Gozitan lampuki fishermen have launched a warship called ‘The Obama’ in an attempt to counter a Tunisian ramming vessel known as The Bin Laden.
According to reports, Tunisian fishermen armed with Molotov Cocktails have been stealing from their Gozitan counterparts’ nets, and intimidating them using a large green boat with a picture of Osama Bin Laden on its side.
Barack Obama was US President when 9/11 mastermind Bin Laden was killed in his Pakistan hideout in 2011.
“For 10 years the Tunisians have been plundering our fish, but no more. If they want a war on the high seas, we’ll give them one. And what better way to battle a ship with Bin Laden’s face on it than with a ship with the face of the man who ordered him to be shot in the face?” Captain Joseph Bajada said at the ship’s launch from Mġarr Harbour.
“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our lampuki!”
Aside from being emblazoned with Obama’s face and the insignia of SEAL Team Six – the elite group of American soldiers that carried out Bin Laden’s execution – the ship is also armed with 30 cannons.
Should the Tunisian ramming vessel somehow manage to withstand a broadside from the Obama and get close, the ship has a contingent of 20 marines armed with the latest Gozitan military technology of muskets, swords and ġbejna launchers.
Speaking at the launch of The Obama, Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana told fishermen: “Arrrrrr me hearties, go kill those seadogs and don’t forget to bring me back some booty.”
