SECOND CONVICTION FOR SOMALIS PIRATES IN WEEK

ADEN, May 19 (Saba) - For the second time in a week, a Yemeni Court
in Aden governorate convicted on Wednesday 10 Somali pirates.

In this time the court passed sentences to ten years in jail against
the pirates.

Chaired by Judge Khalil Abdul-Latif, the court convicted the pirates
of attempted hijacking a foreign ship in the Yemeni territorial
waters.

The court's ruling was based on a report issued on February 18, 2009
by a Russian naval warship sailing in the region to ensure the
safety of international shipping lanes in Gulf of Aden.

In addition to their confessions, the court also depended on photos
and the weapons: Kalashnikov and RPG in addition to the ladder,
which were seized with the pirates.

The first sentence against Somali pirates this week was passed on
Tuesday. The court has handed down death sentences to six Somali
pirates and jail sentences for six other pirates.

The jailed pirates received up to terms of ten years each.

The verdict was delivered by the Chief of the Specialized Penal
Court in Sana'a Judge Muhsen Alwan.

The pirates were convicted of hijacking a Yemeni oil tanker off Aden
and fighting the authorities when they tried to release it.

A sailor was killed during the release operation, another went
missing and four others were injured.

The court also ruled that the convicted pay $ 2 million in
compensation for the Aden Refinery Company. The company will
compensate the family of the victims of the crew members according
to the effective laws.

The pirates were arrested in April last year.

TD/AF