Related News
Spain charges pirates to secure hostages
Source: Agencies |
November 17, 2009, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SPAIN moved yesterday to win the release of 36 fishermen held hostage on a Spanish trawler off Somalia by indicting two captured pirates in a fast-track procedure so they can be returned to Somalia as demanded by the hijackers.
The hijackers who have been holding the tuna boat Alakrana for six weeks are demanding a ransom and the release of the two colleagues in custody in Madrid as a condition for freeing the vessel and the sailors. They were captured on October 2 in open waters of the Indian Ocean.
Judge Santiago Pedraz of the National Court indicted the two yesterday in response to an urgent request on Saturday from prosecutors that he decide quickly whether to file charges, so as to speed up the case.
The idea is to resolve the status of the two in custody so the government can either expel them under immigration laws if they are convicted, or possibly have them serve their sentence in Somalia, and thus appease the pirates holding the ship.
The two men in custody - Cabdeweli Cabdullahi and Raageggesey Hassan Haji - were captured a day after the hijacking by Spanish forces.
They are charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and use of weapons. They originally faced charges of criminal association, as well.
Under Spanish immigration law, a foreigner who is charged with or convicted of a crime that carries a sentence of less than six years can be expelled from Spain. But the crime of criminal association is excluded from that clause.
The hijackers who have been holding the tuna boat Alakrana for six weeks are demanding a ransom and the release of the two colleagues in custody in Madrid as a condition for freeing the vessel and the sailors. They were captured on October 2 in open waters of the Indian Ocean.
Judge Santiago Pedraz of the National Court indicted the two yesterday in response to an urgent request on Saturday from prosecutors that he decide quickly whether to file charges, so as to speed up the case.
The idea is to resolve the status of the two in custody so the government can either expel them under immigration laws if they are convicted, or possibly have them serve their sentence in Somalia, and thus appease the pirates holding the ship.
The two men in custody - Cabdeweli Cabdullahi and Raageggesey Hassan Haji - were captured a day after the hijacking by Spanish forces.
They are charged with kidnapping, armed robbery and use of weapons. They originally faced charges of criminal association, as well.
Under Spanish immigration law, a foreigner who is charged with or convicted of a crime that carries a sentence of less than six years can be expelled from Spain. But the crime of criminal association is excluded from that clause.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
