Record Companies Win Battle Against Piracy in Swedish Court
(CBS/AP)
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April 17, 2009 10:05 PM Piracy was dealt a blow on Friday in an unusual place. No, not off the coast of Somalia but in a Stockholm courtroom, as four Swedes who run ThePirateBay.org were found guilty of infringing copyright law by assisting in making movies, music, and television shows available for free download. Peter Sunde, Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm, and Carl Lundström were sentenced to one year in prison each and ordered to pay damages of $3.6 million to several entertainment companies in both a criminal and civil case.
April 17, 2009 5:39 AM 
The Maersk Alabama crew is finally back in the United States after successfully fighting off Somali pirates, and capturing the attention of the world.
But in Manila, more than 100 Filipino families are still desperately awaiting the release of their loved ones.
One American cargo captain has been rescued. But 250 other seafarers, mostly from poor, developing nations, remain in captivity. Almost half of them are Filipino.
Piracy Nightmare Still Haunts Filipino Families
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
But in Manila, more than 100 Filipino families are still desperately awaiting the release of their loved ones.
One American cargo captain has been rescued. But 250 other seafarers, mostly from poor, developing nations, remain in captivity. Almost half of them are Filipino.
April 16, 2009 8:56 AM 
A senior Saudi Arabian al Qaeda operative has called on Somali jihadists to step up their attacks on "crusader" forces at sea in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, and on land in neighboring Djibouti, which hosts France’s largest military base in Africa.
"To our steadfast brethren in Somalia, take caution and prepare yourselves,” Sa'id Ali Jabir Al Khathim Al Shihri (AKA Abu Sufian al-Azdi) says in a new audiotape acquired by CBS News. “Increase your strikes against the crusaders at sea and in Djibouti.”
Al Qaeda Urges Somalis To Attack Ships
(CBS)
"To our steadfast brethren in Somalia, take caution and prepare yourselves,” Sa'id Ali Jabir Al Khathim Al Shihri (AKA Abu Sufian al-Azdi) says in a new audiotape acquired by CBS News. “Increase your strikes against the crusaders at sea and in Djibouti.”
April 14, 2009 11:37 AM 
Piracy off Somalia’s coast continues as the crew of the Maersk Alabama prepares to head home to the states, some telling their frightening tales to the media and others choosing to remain silent.
The incident on the Maersk Alabama goes unprecedented. Never before in the piracy saga off Somalia’s coast has a crew managed to fend off attacking pirates while on board, lose their captain to a hostage situation and then end up victorious with their captain being freed and most of the pirates taken out by U.S. sniper fire.
Worrying is that some pirates have vowed revenge on U.S. ships and those Americans who sail on them, and Somali vengeance is nothing to take lightly; especially when the reality is that piracy will not be eradicated tomorrow. In all, 18 ships and more than 220 people are still held hostage by pirates.
In War-Torn Somalia, No End In Sight For Piracy
(AP/ECPAD-French Defense Ministry)
The incident on the Maersk Alabama goes unprecedented. Never before in the piracy saga off Somalia’s coast has a crew managed to fend off attacking pirates while on board, lose their captain to a hostage situation and then end up victorious with their captain being freed and most of the pirates taken out by U.S. sniper fire.
Worrying is that some pirates have vowed revenge on U.S. ships and those Americans who sail on them, and Somali vengeance is nothing to take lightly; especially when the reality is that piracy will not be eradicated tomorrow. In all, 18 ships and more than 220 people are still held hostage by pirates.
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
