Captured Pirate To Face Trial In N.Y.

CBS News Investigates: Man Identified As Abdulwali Muse, 19, Will Face Charges In Southern District Court

(CBS/AP)  CBS News has learned that the pirate captured by the U.S. Navy on Sunday - one of four who held American captain Richard Phillips hostage off the coast of Somalia - will be brought to New York to face charges.

Authorities tell CBS News the pirate has been tentatively identified as 19-year-old Abdulwali Muse, and he is believed to be the group's ringleader.

Navy snipers shot his three cohorts as they held Capt. Phillips at gunpoint in a small boat off the stern of the USS Bainbridge, which had raced to the scene of the hijacked cargo ship.

Muse will face charges in New York's Southern District, which has experience handling cases against suspected terrorists.

It was this court that saw the convictions of Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the first bombing of the World Trade Center, blind Egyptian Sheik Abdel Rahman, and the co-conspirators in the 1998 African embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania which killed 258 people.

The official said it was not immediately clear when Muse would be brought to New York. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose information about the ongoing investigation.

The government had been weighing whether to bring the suspect to trial in the United States or hand him over to authorities in Kenya, which has an international agreement to prosecute pirates.

Since the hostage standoff in the Gulf of Aden ended on Sunday, U.S. authorities have been examining details of the case, particularly Muse's age.

Initially, he was thought to have been between 16 years and 20 years old, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates later said all four of the pirates involved were between the ages of 17 and 19.

If he is under 18, federal prosecutors must take a number of additional steps to justify charging him in federal court.

Though none have been filed publically yet, the suspect could face charges which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

[1993cbsnews]

I understand that due to who he had as a hostage, is why the USA can jail him, but..... Why should our tax money pay for it? And now are we going to give him free room & board, food, and health care he may need. Lets not forget any TV or any other benefits he may get. He should be in confinement to a cell with nothing. Why should he have it better in jail then on the sea which is what he chose. If he was the ring leader, then why does his age matter? If we give him life in jail, don't we risk the possibilities of the next group of pirates to kill one of our people instead of taking a chance to get caught? We need to make an example to him to show we will not tolerate this behavior. But I do agree the USA should deal with him and do it quick. I agree with everyone before me. One day in court, next day hang him!! He is GUILTY, no doubt!!! WE NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF HIM NOW!!!!! or we will surely face the consequences later . Hang him!!!

[SocialistBritain]

' wer'nt me gov, honest '

[johnstossel]

Concrete boots, cyanide, TNT.

[TheMasses01]

I say waterboard him.
Not to vindicate him, just for the fun of it.

[globalcoolin]

Liberal grouops are going to find microphones and announce he is wrongfully held, was captured illegaly--just minding his own buisness on a boat cruise.
See why you don't need a boat? No need for a boat because one can get in trouble innocently like this....
...and no need for a firearm, EXCUSE ME, "assault weapon"....and no need for dentures in these modern times of pudding!
We don't NEED anything and anything is what we will get in trouble with, according to the Obama administration!
We don't need the Obasma Administration!Wwe are due for a one-term president.

[seriously121]

I say send him back and stop wasting my tax dollars!!!

[betterusa]

Not only are we going to waste US taxpayers money on this piece of dirt but some "Ambulance Chaser" will fight like hell to get him off and if that fails there will be countless appeals all paid for by US citizens. He is guilty! Why are we going to have a trial? Where are you going to get a jury of 12 of his piers? Maybe at terrorist school - a hearing and sentencing to immediate execution will do.

[summarex]

Good dog dpu3jwallace!

[mitchm11714]

This guy could look at US prison life as being a step up in quality of life compared to being back in Somalia. Prison in Kenya, I suspect, would be less luxurious by comparison.

[mollydtt]

There will never be a conviction in the U S, so let's let him go to Kenya for trial. If he stays in the U S the ACLU will be all over this and any conviction would be overturned in the U S.

[rharrin1]

"... and I don't see where we have jurisdiction in the first place." Posted by davicar2

Any ship from any country that is attacked on the high seas that country has jurisdiction.

[waynedale]

I just listened to CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen say that he is worried that the captured Somali pirate might not get a fair trial in this country. Mr. Cohen, on what information do you base this outrageous statement?

[rhs648]

One can only imagine being a pirate a week ago in Somalia and being in New York a short time later awaiting a trial. It brings forth a vision of going from a remote backwards village to a modern world. This poster has no experiece of life in Somalai and may have a very scewed vision of what Somalia is like. Perhaps a poster who has been to Somalia could enlighten us.

[tomadams99]

Can you hear the patter of little feet yet?? Yep, I do...here come the ACLU and good old Al (the bubblehead) Sharpton to this murdering little pukes rescue. You know...he is part of the Somalia Coast Guard, just defending the coastline. LOL

[woperry]

The Phalanx gun is an antimissile/ rocket system and is not suited for use against pirates. If they really want to get something done they should electrify the side rails and when they get along side and up flip the switch - bye bye pirates. They could also utilize rooms like the armored cars have to fire from without exposing yourself. It would be a lot cheaper to hire a sniper for every boat than it would be to pay ransom. You could helicopter him off before docking in countries where customs does not allow weapons on board merchant ships. Still cheaper than the million dollars per ship+ they receive.

These guys would stop attacking boats if they got picked off by snipers as they approached. We should quit negotiating with any of these thugs. Kill on Site orders should be given. If your out in the ocean in a little boat with AK's ... there will be no questions asked you will be sunk immediately and killed.

[mollydtt]

What a waste of U S taxpayer money. I think we should let him go back to Somalia.
If he goes back to pirating, maybe the French will catch him and they can pay for his trial.

[dpu3jwallace]

IT IS PAINFULLY OBVIOUS THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH THESE PIRATES (WHO HAVE, IN ESSENCE, 'DECLARED WAR' ON THE UNITED STATES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD AS WELL) IS TO A*G*G*R*E*S*S*I*V*E*L*Y GO D*I*R*E*C*T*L*Y AGAINST THEM AND THEIR SUPPORTERS! -- START BY LEVELLING THE PRIMARY PORT AREAS THEY ARE USING IN A 'LAWLESS' COUNTRY. -- THIS INCLUDES DETROYING ANY AND ALL VESSELS (SPEEDBOATS, ETC.) THAT CAN BE USED IN THEIR PIRACY ACTIVITIES (HOPEFULLY SENDING A NUMBER OF THE PIRATES ON A ONE-WAY TRIP TO VISIT DAVY JONES' LOCKER, IN THE PROCESS). -- ALSO, GO AFTER ANY SHIPS BEING USED AS 'MOTHER SHIPS'. -- ALSO, SET UP A PRIORITIZED 'HIT LIST' (POSSIBLY OFFERING BOUNTIES), TO INCLUDE PEOPLE SUCH AS: ** THIS COWARD 'ISMAIL', WHO OPERATES OUT OF HARARDHERE ** OMAR DOHIR ** ABDULLAH LAMI ** JAME HABEC ** ANY OF THE SO-CALLED 'ELDERS' INVOLVED IN THE RANSOM DEMANDS ** ANY PEOPLE CLAIMING 'SHARES' IN THE RANSOMS "" AND, ANY CORRUPT POLITICIANS PROTECTING THESE PIRATES! -- USING THE AIR FORCE TO TAKE THEM OUT, WHILE THEY ARE FAR OFF-SHORE IN THE WATER IS ANOTHER GOOD THOUGHT! -- THE R*E*A*L Q*U*E*S*T*I*O*N IS: DO WE WANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM -- OR -- MERELY DO SOME INEFFECTIVE POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING'? -- EFFECTIVE AND RAPID AND LASTING SOLUTIONS ARE READILY AVAILABLE -- AND, YET, BASICALLY THE ENTIRE CIVILIZED WORLD HAS ENDED UP LOOKING LIKE 'FOOLS', FOR THE MOST PART, IN DEALING WITH THESE PIRATES!

[TominNY]

The ultimate solution to getting rid of Somali pirates could be outfitting shipping vessels with a "Phalanx Gun". Sort of like a Gatling Gun on steroids. Google it.

Tom

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by davicar2

When "what someone likes" takes the place of "what the law is on the matter" I do tend to wax a bit hostile, after all we just had 8 years of that.

[brianbwb-2009]

I resemble ?Anyone?and Im interested. Makes more sense that any of you dribble.
Posted by hollysbaby

Resembling anyone, and being someone is not the same thing. Try resembling someone with a sense of logic.