Spanish judge charges Somali pirates with terrorism and kidnapping

Source: EITB

Basque tuna-fishing vessel Alakrana

'Alakrana' hijacked - 10/05/2009 | eitb.com |

Spanish frigate Canarias and Dutch warship Germinal caught up with the tuna-fishing vessel during the night and shadowed it as it made for the Somali coast.

A Spanish judge has charged two Somali pirates from a gang which hijacked a Basque tuna-fishing vessel last week with terrorism and kidnapping.
According to Spanish radio station RNE, Spain's High Court judge Baltasar Garzon charged the two men with terrorism and kidnapping. The two suspected pirates had
been captured as they navigated a small boat in the vicinity of the Alakrana. The two had just come off the Alakrana aboard a motorized skiff that carried 14 containers of fuel, rescue force commander Gen. Jaime Dominguez said.
One of the suspected pirates was shot and slightly wounded as Spanish naval personnel boarded the skiff, Dominguez said.
The Spanish-owned fishing boat Alakrana was hijacked by pirates early Friday. It is being monitored by two navy warships, Dominguez said.
Spanish frigate Canarias and Dutch warship Germinal caught up with the tuna-fishing vessel during the night and shadowed it as it made for the Somali coast, Domiguez said.
Dominguez did not specify which port the Alakrana had arrived at.
The boat had been fishing for tuna 800 miles from the nearest navy escort when it was boarded by pirates. It was the second attack on the Alakrana in less than a month after the captain had to take evasive action to dodge a pirate approach on Sept. 4.