Virginia court convicted Somali pirates accused of killing four Americans
March 11th, 2011 - 5:15 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 11 (ANI): A federal judge in Norfolk, Virginia, has convicted 14 accused pirates for murdering four Americans aboard their 58-foot yacht last month.
Navy sharpshooters had captured the men after they had hijacked the yacht and killed California residents Jean and Scott Adam and their friends Bob Riggle and Phyliss Macay of Seattle, the New York Daily News reports.
The couples were the first American citizens to be killed after being kidnapped off the Somalian coast.
The pirates, from Yemen and Somalia, were reportedly hit with piracy, kidnapping and weapons acquisition charges.
The group is the latest to be tried in recent years under 200-year-old piracy laws. Another Somali pirate was sentenced to 33 years in jail last month for the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama.
The convictions came as the families of 53 Indian sailors being held by Somali pirates are pleading for their release.
The Indian government has refused to negotiate with pirates, including the ones demanding four million dollars as ransom for the sailors. (ANI)
- Somali pirates given life sentence in US - Oct 04, 2011
- Tenth Somali pirate pleads guilty in pirate attack that left 4 Americans killed - May 27, 2011
- Somali pirates release Bulgarian-flagged chemical product tanker after four months - Sep 09, 2010
- UN chief appalled by Somali pirates' killing of Americans - Feb 23, 2011
- U.S. Marines retake hijacked German-owned vessel off the coast of Somalia - Sep 09, 2010
- Pirates Abduct 43 Sailors; Holding Them for Ransom - Oct 18, 2010
- UAE oil tanker freed by pirates - Jul 29, 2011
- India mulls law to battle sea pirates - Mar 12, 2011
- Indonesian troops prepare hostage rescue operation against Somali pirates - Apr 14, 2011
- Five arrested Somali pirates face life terms for attacking US Navy ship - Nov 26, 2010
- Somali pirates links with terror groups being interrogated - Jan 31, 2011
- Danish ship taken hostage by Somali pirates - Mar 01, 2011
- Hijacked Indian vessels traced in Seychelles - Mar 30, 2010
- At India's call, UNSC condemns hostage taking by Somalian pirates - Apr 12, 2011
- India, Somalia agree to tackle Somali pirates menace jointly - Mar 28, 2011
Tags: 33 years, american citizens, bob riggle, california residents, federal judge, foot yacht, hijacking, indian government, macay, maersk, new york daily news, norfolk virginia, phyliss, piracy laws, scott adam, sharpshooters, somali pirates, somalian, virginia court, york daily news