http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-21-2009/0005010397&EDATE=



WASHINGTON, April 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lev L. Dassin, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joseph M. Demarest, Jr., the Assistant-Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI", and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner for the City of New York, announced the arrival late yesterday of Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse to face charges stemming from his alleged participation in the April 8, 2009, hijacking of the Maersk Alabama container ship in the Indian Ocean, and the subsequent taking of the captain of the ship as a hostage.


Muse was taken into custody by the United States Navy on April 12, 2009, while at sea in the Indian Ocean. On the same day, the U.S. Navy rescued the captain of the Maersk Alabama from a life boat in the Indian Ocean where he had been taken hostage by Muse and three other men. On April 19, 2009, Muse was transferred from the custody of the U.S. Navy to the FBI for transport to the Southern District of New York. According to the criminal Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court:


On April 8, 2009, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, Muse and three other pirates boarded the Maersk Alabama container ship, after shooting at the ship from their own boat. Each of the four pirates boarded the Maersk Alabama armed with a gun. The Maersk Alabama is a U.S.-flagged container ship, and all of the crew members, including the captain, were U.S. citizens. Once on board the Maersk Alabama, Muse, who conducted himself as the leader of the pirates, demanded, among other things, that the ship be stopped. Several hours after boarding the Maersk Alabama, the pirates took a life boat from the ship, on which they held the captain of the ship as a hostage.


Muse and the other three pirates held the captain hostage on the life boat from April 8 to April 12, 2009. During this period, in radio communications between the pirates and the U.S. Navy, the pirates threatened to kill the captain if they were not provided with safe passage away from the scene. On April 12, 2009, Muse requested and was permitted to board the USS Bainbridge, a U.S. Navy missile destroyer that had arrived on the scene. On the USS Bainbridge, Muse continued to demand for himself and the other pirates safe passage from the scene in exchange for the captain's release. On April 12, 2009, Muse was taken into custody by the U.S. Navy.


Muse, who is over 18 years old, was presented in U.S. Magistrate Court and ordered detained. Muse is charged with: (1) piracy under the law of nations; (2) conspiracy to seize a ship by force; (3) discharging a firearm, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm, during and in relation to the conspiracy to seize a ship by force; (4) conspiracy to commit hostage taking; and (5) brandishing a firearm, and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm, during and in relation to the conspiracy to commit hostage taking. The first count carries a mandatory term of life imprisonment; the second count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison; the third count carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment; the fourth count carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment; and the fifth count carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment.


Mr. Dassin praised the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force -- which principally consists of agents of the FBI and detectives of the New York City Police Department -- and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their extraordinary efforts in the investigation of this case. Mr. Dassin also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice, the Department of State, specifically the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, the FBI's Legal Attache Office in Nairobi and the Department of Defense for their work in this case. Mr. Dassin also expressed his gratitude to the Government of Kenya and Maersk Line, Limited, for their cooperation and assistance.


"An act of piracy against one nation is a crime against all nations. Pirates target ships and cargo, but threaten international commerce and human life," said Acting United States Attorney Lev L. Dassin. "Today's charges demonstrate our commitment to hold pirates accountable for their crimes. Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse and his fellow pirates attacked an American crew and its American captain on a ship flying an American flag. Now, Muse has been brought to face justice in an American courtroom."


"Modern-day pirates bear little resemblance to the swashbuckling anti-heroes of popular fiction. The pirates who boarded the Maersk Alabama were armed hijackers who robbed the ship, threatened the crew and held the captain hostage at gunpoint," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Joseph M. Demarest, Jr. "The FBI joins our international law enforcement partners in our mutual goal of maintaining the rule of law on the high seas."


"The NYPD was proud to play a part with our federal partners in helping combat piracy on the high seas," said New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.


Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Farbiarz and Brendan R. McGuire are in charge of the prosecution.


The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Now we can only wait to see how effective this will be in deterring other Somali pirates from attacking US ships. In my opinion, I think this would have the opposite effect. We are speaking of people who turn to crime because of the miserable situation down in Somalia. I will not be surprised if more Somali pirates choose to attack US cargo ships.

why New York is no place to try a somali pirate.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1892895,00.html

see how gaunt he looks
Let them put him with those akpu obi AA hardened thugs
Excellent
He'll be someone's iyawo at Reikers Island maximum security prison pretty soon
and regret the day he became a pirate

If I was a pirate I would hope I get captured and brought to the states to do time. In federal Penn he would get three square meals each day, electricity and water 24/7, and even a college degree with good behavior. What more could anyone in Somalia ask for. No wonder the fool was all smiles this morning. I'm sure his the envy of all his pirate brothers in the Indian ocean here the live on tiny boats waiting to hijack a vessels.

OgidiBoy:

If I was a pirate I would hope I get captured and brought to the states to do time. In federal Penn he would get three square meals each day, electricity and water 24/7, and eve a college degree with good behavior. What more could anyone in Somalia ask for. No wonder the fool was all smiles this morning. I'm sure his the envy of all his pirate brothers.

you don do hard time before?

$osisi:

you don do hard time before?

very funny, Nah I just watch all those prison shows on MSNBC every weekend.

OgidiBoy:

very funny, Nah I just watch all those prison shows on MSNBC every weekend.

I watch those shows too
They can be entertaining

$osisi:

I watch those shows too
They can be entertaining

you damn right, i thought i was the only one.

the booty warrior is waiting for a somalian tenderoni

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-JjldxU-pA&hl=en&fs=1"[/flash]

That was disgusting TV!

Kobojunkie:

Now we can only wait to see how effective this will be in deterring other Somali pirates from attacking US ships. In my opinion, I think this would have the opposite effect. We are speaking of people who turn to crime because of the miserable situation down in Somalia. I will not be surprised if more Somali pirates choose to attack US cargo ships.

What would you have suggested to be done.

Kobojunkie:

We are speaking of people who turn to crime because of the miserable situation down in Somalia. I will not be surprised if more Somali pirates choose to attack US cargo ships.

Exactly,
The Big problem is the economic/political instability in Somalia,an average somali is helpless/hopeless with no prospect for a better life.
They take to piracy and other nefarious activities just to keep body and soul together,This will continue until a lasting solution is proffered and implemented to set the country back on track.

nuzo:

What would you have suggested to be done.

We all know what the solution to the crisis in somali is, so no need suggesting something else in that situation. As for dealing with pirates, I am not exactly sure if there is any other way to deal considering the present state of things in somalia.

Not all the Somali "pirates" are gangsters: some are locals who've watched their loved ones sicken and die after European toxic waste was dropped on their shores and decided to do something about it. Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the Somalian government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died.

lol at OgidiBoy

the guy was so filled with smile. i wonder what he was smiling abt

*Hauwa*:

lol at OgidiBoy

the guy was so filled with smile. i wonder what he was smiling abt

From somalia to the USA (even if its only jail). when he gets out he can claim persecution in Somalia and get to stay back in the US. Lucky boy, now to get his lawyer to help him get a low jail term. Imagine . . . free feeding and education. Even as a pirate i doubt he ever lived this large.

@Hauwa, go to Columbus OH and check out how Somalis dey enjoy for their. These welfar system is built for them there, free welfare checks and help. The guy don reach the "PROMISED LAND", why e no go jolly? lol

The excuse the Somali pirates use is the same crap that the 419 boys use when they try to justify their crimes.

If it's all about Somali waters being raped then why are the little bastards hijacking ships in other countries' national waters - ie: Dubai, Kenya, etc? And what about the large percentage of those seized ships' countries that have had nothing to do with dumping or fishing in Somali waters?
It's like saying a Yank murdered my grandfather in Africa, so to get revenge, I'm going to go to China where I will kill the first person I run across.

Utter bullshit.

Dont drop the soap!!

Not all the Somali "pirates" are gangsters: some are locals who've watched their loved ones sicken and die after European toxic waste was dropped on their shores and decided to do something about it. Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the Somalian government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died.

Well said! Different tactics but it's not too far from the MEND cause in the Delta.

The theory coming out of NATO is that AQ is using the monkey tactics to outwit them in WoT. You know what the monkey tactic is right?

Well said! Different tactics but it's not too far from the MEND cause in the Delta.

It's totally different.
MEND aren't funded by wealthy foreign businessmen who take a cut of every ransom.