World's Smallest Country & Internet Pirates

In classical pirate stories, the treasure was buried on a private island, but in the 21st Century the island itself is what is valuable, and the treasure is copyright. While Napster was dealt a death blow by corporations who saw it as an attack on their profits, it is only a matter of time before internet pirates try and set up their own country where extraterritoriality can protect their atteck on the holders of copyright. In a fitting parallel, the island the pirates intend buying was itself used in the 1960's version of copyright protection battles, the pirate radio stations then set up outside Britain's 3 mile limit.

Note: Mr. Cheyenne Morrison

For sale: the world's smallest country with its own flag, stamps, currency and passports
By Paul Majendie LONDON (Reuters) January 8th, 2007

Apply to Prince Michael of Sealand if you want to run your own storm-tossed nation -- even if it is just a wartime fort perched on two concrete towers in the North Sea.

Built in World War Two as an anti-aircraft base against German bombers, the derelict platform was taken over 40 years ago by retired army major Paddy Roy Bates who went to live there with his family.

He declared the platform, perched seven miles off the east coast of England just outside Britain's territorial waters, to be the principality of Sealand.

The self-styled Prince Roy adopted a flag, chose a national anthem and minted silver and gold coins as its currency.

The family saw off an attempt by the Royal Navy to evict them and also an attempt in 1978 by a group of German and Dutch businessmen to seize Sealand by force.

"I was held prisoner out there for three or four days and then managed to get back to England," Roy's son Michael told BBC Radio on Monday.

"I slid down a rope out of a helicopter with my father and a couple of comrades and took the place back against armed opposition. It was quite a high point in my life," he said.

Prince Michael, whose 85-year-old father now lives in Spain, said his family had been approached by estate agents with clients "who wanted a bit more than a bit of real estate, they wanted autonomy."

Asked what were the delights of living on Sealand, the 54-year-old prince said "The neighbours are very quiet. There is a good sea view."

"There is no jurisdiction by any other country in the world," he said, suggesting it could be a base for online gambling or offshore banking.

Calling it a cross between a house and a ship, the prince acknowledged it was not the world's most picturesque country, boasting as it does two large concrete towers with eight rooms in each tower.

"It is fairly bleak," he conceded. ""But it is quite pleasant sitting inside in the warm and watching the horrendous weather roaring past the double-glazed windows."

So what did he expect to get for Sealand?

"We shall see," Prince Michael said. "I will listen to anybody who wants to talk."

The former anti-aircraft platform, seven miles off the Essex coast, was taken over 40 years ago by retired Army major Paddy Roy Bates.

The so-called "independent state" of Sealand is currently home to an internet firm.

The platform, built by Britain during World War II, now has its own flag, passports, currency and stamps.

It was derelict until the 1960s when Mr Bates took over the 10,000 sq ft platform and declared it the independent nation of Sealand.

At the time, the platform was beyond the then three-mile limit of British territorial waters. All this changed in 1987, when the UK extended its territorial waters from three to 12 miles.

Sealand's current "head of state", Mr Bates' son Michael, said he was only 14 when they took over the platform, but now seemed the right time to sell up.

"My father is 85 and my mother in her late 70s and I'm 54," he said. "I believe the project needs a bit of rejuvenation."

"Michael of Sealand" said the family were approached by a Spanish estate agents specialising in selling islands.

At one time it was regarded by some as the Cuba off the east coast of England

The firm, Inmonaranja, has put a price tag of 750m euros (£504m) on Sealand.

However, Michael was reluctant to put a price tag on it.

He said the "micro-nation" included accommodation, offices, a power generator and a chapel.

"What you would normally expect in a small village, really," he said.

During the Bates' time on the platform, they saw off an attempt by the Royal Navy to evict them, and an attempt by a group of German and Dutch businessmen to seize control of the platform by force.

Michael said Sealand had aroused suspicion as well as drama.

"At one time it was regarded by some as the Cuba off the east coast of England, he said.

"People thought we were harbouring missiles or something, and this is despite my father's exemplary military record."

He said the North Sea property, complied with international laws.

Michael, who travels to Sealand by helicopter from his Essex base, said he believed Britain was increasingly becoming a "nanny state" and that the sale might attract people wanting to "get away from it all".

The government does not recognise the sovereignty of Sealand.

The Pirate Bay plans to buy island
By James Savage, The Local, Sweden
Published: 12th January 2007

Swedish file-sharing website The Pirate Bay is planning to buy its own nation in an attempt to circumvent international copyright laws.

The group has set up a campaign to raise money to buy Sealand, a former British naval platform in the North Sea that has been designated a 'micronation', and claims to be outside the jurisdiction of the UK or any other country.

The Pirate Bay says it is the world's largest 'bit torrent tracker', and is a popular way of sharing music, films, software and other copyrighted material online. It has been under the scrutiny of authorities in Sweden and around the world for some time.

The site was briefly closed down after raids by the Swedish police last May. After initially moving to the Netherlands, the site returned to Sweden in June. Swedish authorities have been put under pressure to do more to stop the site. The Motion Picture Association of America, the Swedish Anti-Piracy Bureau and the US government have all lobbied for The Pirate Bay's closure.

According to a website set up to secure the purchase of Sealand, The Pirate Bay plans to give citizenship of the micronation to anyone willing to put money towards the purchase.

"It should be a great place for everybody, with high-speed Internet access, no copyright laws and VIP accounts to The Pirate Bay," the organisation claims on its website www.buysealand.com

The "island" of Sealand, seven miles off the coast of southern England, was settled in 1967 by an English major, Paddy Roy Bates. Bates proclaimed Sealand a state, issuing passports and gold and silver Sealand dollars and declaring himself Prince Roy.

When the British Royal Navy tried to evict Prince Roy in 1968, a judge ruled that the platform was outside British territorial waters and therefore beyond government control.

The British government subsequently extended its territorial waters from three to twelve nautical miles from the coast, which would include Sealand, but Prince Roy simultaneously extended Sealand's waters, claimed that this guaranteed Sealand's sovereignty.

The island is now being put up for sale by Prince Roy's son, Prince Michael, who styles himself head of state. A firm of Spanish estate agents has valued the island at £504 million (about 7 billion kronor), although Prince Michael told The Times of London that it is hard to gauge how much it will fetch in reality.

The Pirate Bay says it is looking at alternatives to buying the former naval platform.

"If we do not get enough money required to buy the micronation of Sealand, we will try to buy another small island somwhere and claim it as our own country," the organization says on its website.

It is also looking at Ladonia, situated at the edge of the Scandinavian Peninsula, once ruled by King Ladon, and declared independent in 1996.

OTHER INDEPENDANT ISLANDS

InmoNaranja
Gabriel Medina Vilchez
Santisimo 109 - Bajo
18600 MOTRIL - GRANADA

Tlf: +34-958 609 609
Fax: +958 609 FAX (329)
Skype: inmonaranja

Movil: +34-622 209 609
Miami, FL: (305) 851-2609

LINKS

Official website of the Government of Sealand
Buy Sealand
Ladonia
Pirate Bay Wikipedia
Pirate Bay Official Site