News

Spanish Supreme Court Judge Baltasar Garzon ordered imprisonment without bail for the two Somali pirates arrested along the Somali coast in connection with the hijack of Basque tuna-fishing vessel, the Alakrana, and instructed that both be "urgently" brought to Spain.

In a court order issued on Tuesday, Garzon accused the two bandits, identified as Abdu Willy and Raagegeesey, with one count of illicit association, 36 of illegally holding, robbery with violence and use of weapons.

Supreme Court Prosecution

The judge was responding to a petition by the High Court Prosecution that requested that both Somali men, arrested by the Canarias frigate on the Indian Ocean, be sent to prison.

They stand accused of 36 charges of illegal holding (one for each member of the hijacked vessel crew) and one of robbery with violence and use of weapons.

Court prosecutor Jesús Alonso presented a case to Judge Garzon defending the Spanish High Court''s competence to act on the Alakrana case, given that it deals with an attack on a Spanish shipping vessel and against Spanish citizens in international waters.

Furthermore, the Prosecution requested that Garzon order the transference of the arrested men in order to sit trial in Spain.