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| Africa Horn |
| Convicted Somali pirates get life sentences in US court |
| 2011-03-15 |
| Five Somali men convicted of attacking a US Navy ship they mistook for a merchant vessel have been sentenced to life in prison. The men were found guilty in November of trying to hijack the USS Nicholas, a vessel on an anti-piracy mission. Defence lawyers claimed the men had been abducted by pirates and forced to fire their weapons in the April attack. The men were the first convicted of piracy by a US jury since 1820, prosecutors said. The piracy conviction carried a mandatory life sentence; the men were sentenced to an additional 80 years for firearms charges in connection with the hijack attempt. The men said they would appeal against the conviction and the sentence. "Today's sentences should send a clear message to those who attempt to engage in piracy: Armed attacks on US-flagged vessels carry severe consequences in US courts," said US Attorney Neil MacBride. He told reporters the sentence handed down by Judge Mark Davis was the longest ever in a piracy conviction, because the pirate convicted in 1820 was hanged. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 It's a step up for them. Three hots and a cot beats the hell out of Somalia. I'm thinking that when they meet (meat?) Bubba and buddies in the shower, they will be squealing like little piggies, and probably have an 'accident' involving sharp pointy things |
| Posted by: USN,Ret 2011-03-15 23:48 |
| #1 It's a step up for them. Three hots and a cot beats the hell out of Somalia. |
| Posted by: mojo 2011-03-15 13:19 |