Results tagged “piracy”

Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, the lone surviving pirate from the group that took an American container ship captain hostage in April, has pleaded not guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court this morning. The 10 counts in the indictment against him include piracy under the law of nations, conspiracy, hostage taking and kidnapping. Muse's age is in contention: Prosecutors say he is 19, based on statements from his father while his defense team says he's just 15. WCBS 2 spoke to one of Muse's lawyers, Phil Weiss, asking "what he saw when looked into his client's eyes." Weiss said, "A young scared kid in pain, I don't know whether he's a pirate or not. You asked me what I saw, that's what I saw." In related news, the captain that was held hostage, Richard Phillips, was honored as the Mariner of the Year at his alma mater, Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The lone surviving Somali pirate who, along with three others, held an American container ship captain hostage, was indicted on ten counts (including piracy and kidnapping) in federal court yesterday. Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, whose age is being debated by prosecutors (who believe he is 19) and his defense (who say he's 15), is accused of using a machine gun to threaten Captain Richard Phillips and "us[ing] a radio to communicate with representatives of the United States government and threaten[ing] to kill the captain unless his demands were satisfied." Prosecutors also say that Muse was the leader of the group, while his defense has previously suggested that Muse himself was "kidnapped and taken hostage." Muse will be arraigned tomorrow.

With Somali pirate Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse set to stand trial as an adult for the hijacking a U.S. container ship and holding its captain hostage for days, his mother is again begging for some sympathy for her son. Adar Abdirahman Hassan, who previously asked President Obama to pardon Muse—or at least that she be allowed to be with him during the trial—now says, "I plead with American judges not to commit an injustice against [Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse] and hand down an unfair verdict on my son."

Yesterday, a judge determined that the lone surviving Somali pirate could be charged as adult. Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, who, along with three other pirates, held a U.S. container ship captain hostage, was charged with piracy under the law of nations, conspiracy to seize a ship by force, conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and use of firearms in those acts, according to the NY Times. Prosecutors say that Muse, in spite of his small 5'2" frame, was the ringleader who "was the first to board the ship" plus "he fired a shot at the captain, he helped steal $30,000 in cash from a safe, and he bragged about hijacking ships in the past," the AP reports.

Sailor William Rios has returned to his Harlem home after the confrontation with Somali pirates on the Maersk Alabama container ship. He told the Daily News that he wasn't afraid during the ordeal, "I'm from New York City - nothing's feared in New York City. I'm not from the country. I'm from New York. We don't fear nothing - you don't mess with New York City, especially a black Puerto Rican." Rios, who has been a merchant marine for 25 years, admitted that his crew "messed up" when they were unable to exchange the Somali pirate they took as a hostage for their captain, Richard Phillips but says he'll be back on the water, "That's my youth - I love the sea. We deal with pirates and terror. I'll be back there - it's just my job." Rios, who told his church about the experience this morning, has suggested more security and more patrols in the waters, as well as for crew members to be better armed.

As Captain Richard Phillips makes his way back to Vermont, a week after he was held hostage by four Somali pirates, the AP reports that the lone, surviving pirate will be tried in New York.

The Defense Department said that Captain Richard Phillips, the Alabama Maersk container ship captain who was taken hostage by pirates, had tried to escape by jumping into the water but his captors followed and retrieved him. It's believed Phillips was trying to swim to the U.S.S. Bainbridge, a naval destroyer that's been in contact with the pirates.

Last year movie piracy became a misdemeanor in New York, making it that much harder to watch a shaky-cam version of a summer blockbuster before it even closes out its opening weekend in theaters. Bloomberg has been cracking down on counterfeiters city-wide, and while he's brought equal attention to the fake purse racket, The NY Times focuses in on the blurry bootlegs.