Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Somali piracy suspect indicted in NYC court

Teenager accused of an attack on U.S. merchant ship faces life in prison if convicted of piracy charge.

The sole surviving suspect from an attack on an American cargo ship off the Somali coast has been indicted in New York City on piracy charges.

Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse has been jailed in Manhattan since shortly after his capture April 12. His piracy prosecution is believed to be the first in the U.S. in more than a century.

U.S. prosecutors have portrayed him as the ringleader of the pirates.

The FBI says he was the first to board the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. It says he and three others held captain Richard Phillips hostage until Navy sharpshooters killed them.

The 18-year-old Mr. Muse wept when his lawyers failed last month to convince a federal judge he was only 15 and should be tried as a juvenile.

He faces life in prison if convicted.

Source: The Associated Press.

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