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