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Somalia pirates jailed for life
Seven pirates have been given life sentences for seizing a United Arab Emirates ship last week by a court in Somalia's northern Puntland region. Another four were given similar sentences for helping the pirates. They were convicted of "taking people hostage with the aim of obtaining a ransom" a local official said. The pirates are being held in the Puntland capital, Bosasso. The authorities in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland stormed the Al-Khaleej last Tuesday. One pirate was shot dead in the battle, reports the AFP news agency. In the latest incident, a Spanish fishing boat and its 26 crew members were released over the weekend after several days in captivity. A local official told the BBC a $1.2m ransom had been paid. Earlier this month, six suspected pirates were detained by the French military after a French yacht was seized. Posted by: Fred 2008-04-29 |
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