Four US Hostages killed by Somali Pirates
Tuesday 22 February 2011
US Naval forces fail in bid to rescue sailors taken hostage by pirates. Lieutenant Colonel Lawhorn told Channel 4 News: 'We heard small arms fire on the boat and decided to do an emergency assault'
The four sailors were round the world travellers Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle from Seattle and their friends - and the boat's owners - Jean and Scott Adam from California.
Their boat, the Quest, was attacked by pirates on Friday and was being monitored by US forces. Four navy warships were involved, including an aircraft carrier.
More here..
'penalty of death by hanging'
^ agree, they have no other reason to be out there.
and these trials cost money. . . string 'em up
Somali Pirates Face Death Penalty In Malaysia
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11 Feb 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian prosecutors filed charges carrying the death penalty Friday against seven suspected Somali pirates accused of attacking a Malaysian-operated ship in the Gulf of Aden, in the first such charges in Asia against the African sea bandits.
The Somalis – some as young as 15 years old – are suspected of taking 23 Filipino crew members captive aboard a chemical tanker on Jan. 20. Malaysian naval commandos responsible for protecting the vessel stormed it less than two hours later and freed the crew. The pirates shot at the commandos, but no injuries were reported.
The Somalis were brought to Malaysia, where government lawyers on Friday charged them with using firearms against Malaysian armed forces personnel with the intention of causing death or hurt.
The charge carries a penalty of death by hanging, but prosecutors said that if convicted, three of the Somalis are expected to have their sentences commuted to prison terms because they are minors.
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Many suspected pirates detained by navies are released after being disarmed because some nations are reluctant to bear the cost of putting them on trial and imprisoning them, while others fear that suspects might seek to claim asylum.