(Adds charges against Kenya official)

By Celestine Achieng

MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The EU vowed quick military action against Somali pirates on Thursday, and Kenya charged a maritime official for giving "alarming" information that one hijacked ship's cargo of tanks was bound for Sudan.

Last week's seizure of the Ukrainian vessel MV Faina off Somalia, with 33 T-72 tanks aboard, has sparked controversy around east Africa over its ultimate destination. It has also galvanised international anxiety at piracy in the region.

Somali pirates have captured scores of vessels this year in heavily used commercial shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden linking Europe to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

They are still holding about a dozen boats, including the Faina for which they want a $20 million ransom.

Europe is trying to quickly push through a plan for at least nine countries to take part in a joint air and sea operation against the pirates, who are making millions in ransoms even as they drive up insurance and security costs for ships.

"The aim is to go quickly," French Defence Ministry spokesman Laurent Teisseire said.

British Defence Minister Des Browne said that as the world's biggest trading grouping, protecting the EU's security and way of life depended on being able to secure global trade routes.

"More broadly, it's ensuring that oil that travels around this world travels around it securely," he said, urging cooperation with the United States in anti-pirate efforts. Washington and Paris have military bases in nearby Djibouti.

Underlining the growing impact of the piracy, British think-tank Chatham House said on Thursday it had cost shippers between $18-30 million in ransoms so far in 2008.

"ALARMING STATEMENTS"

In Kenya, prosecutors charged Andrew Mwangura -- whose East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme monitors shipping in the region and promotes sailors' rights -- with "causing alarming publications".

He angered local authorities by saying the Faina's tanks, grenade-launchers and other weaponry were bound for South Sudan and not Kenya as Nairobi says. That has embarrassed Kenya, which brokered an end to Sudan's north-south war in 2005.

Mwangura was also accused of being in possession of narcotic drugs, a charge which caused laughter in court. He was allegedly caught with Marijuana worth 200 shillings ($2.74).

"Due to the nature of the charge against the accused, the police will need time to investigate," said Principal Magistrate Richard Kirui after ordering a five-day detention for Mwangura.

He was picked up on Wednesday night.

About 50 heavily armed pirates are holding the Faina off Somalia near Hobyo town. Several U.S. navy ships are watching it, and a Russian ship is approaching too.

Kenyan government spokesman Alfred Mutua told a news conference reports the Faina's cargo was for South Sudan were "propaganda" based on "wild guesses, speculation and interferences with no iota of proof or documents to back them".

Mwangura says his information comes from families of pirates and crew, plus shipping groups round the region and beyond.

"The information that my client has been receiving has been coming from officials of the same union (seafarers programme) both in Ukraine and Russia," said his lawyer, Francis Kadima.

"My client has a right to free expression."

The U.S. Navy said this week it believed the arms were for South Sudan, and many Kenyans share that suspicion.

Leading local paper Daily Nation, quoting "impeccable sources in Kenya's military", said its investigations had also shown Sudan was the probable destination. (Additional reporting by Andrew Cawthorne and Humphrey Malalo in Nairobi, David Brunnstrom in Deauville, France)

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