Prime Minister David Cameron announced a symbolic step in Britain's fight against piracy, lifting a ban that didn't allow armed guards on their major shipping fleets. The decision to beef up their vessels against piracy attacks is a clear response to the growing maritime epidemic.
Britain was one of only a few countries left that banned the use of such arms on their vessels, along with Japan, Greece and the Netherlands. With the increase of piracy attacks and a more stringent global stance to combat it, Cameron told BBC that Britain now plans to license guards to carry firearms on ships while traveling in the notoriously dangerous waters of the Indian Ocean. Under the new plan, the Home Secretary will be able to license certain vessels to carry armed security and automatic weapons in danger zones, which is currently prohibited by firearm laws in the country. When the prime minister was asked if he was comfortable with a "shoot to kill" order, he replied that necessary choices will be made.
Cameron said that evidence has proven that ships with armed guards either don't get attacked, or don't get taken hostage for ransom.
