KENYA: Eleven suspected pirates to face charges in Kenyan court

Record ID: 360724

  • Title: KENYA: Eleven suspected pirates to face charges in Kenyan court
  • Date: 24th April 2009
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (APRIL 23, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MOMBASA LAW COURTS SIGN OUTSIDE COURTS READING "MOMBASA LAW COURTS" COURT SYMBOL VARIOUS OF VEHICLES CARRYING SUSPECTED PIRATES ARRIVE UNDER POLICE GUARD PIRATES GET OUT OF VEHICLES VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS TAKING PHOTOS OF PIRATES SUSPECTED PIRATES GOING INTO THE COURT SUSPECTED PIRATES ESCORTED BY POLICE INTO COURT-RO
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEBZCDCNWB5Y5WM7DYF1JNVLIB
  • Story Text: Eleven Somali men appear in a Kenyan court facing charges of piracy after being captured by the French Navy.
    Eleven Somali men captured by French naval forces and handed over to Kenyan authorities on Wednesday (April 22) were brought to a Kenyan court to face charges of piracy on Thursday (April 23).
    They were seized by the French frigate Nivose, along with a "mothership", which was carrying two small assault boats, some 900 kilometres east of the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
    The Nivose, deployed to prevent attacks in pirate gangs' widening hunting grounds off the coast of Somalia and neighbouring Kenya, tracked down the men after its helicopter thwarted an attack on the Liberian-flagged Safmarine Asia.
    Kenya has agreed to deal with the detainees under accords with the European Union, Britain and the United States, but it has said it cannot try all pirates.
    Several pirates seized after hijacking French ships and taking hostages, including a group arrested two weeks ago, are facing trial in France. But some have demanded they be sent back to Somalia, arguing their transfer to France was illegal.
    Heavily-armed pirates from lawless Somalia have been increasingly striking the busy Indian Ocean shipping lanes and strategic Gulf of Aden, capturing dozens of vessels, hundreds of hostages and making off with millions of dollars in ransom.
    There has been no let-up in the seizure of ships by pirates since U.S.
    snipers killed three Somali pirates and freed the captain of U.S flagged vessel. The American ship captain had been held hostage for five days.
    BF/JRC
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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