Prosecutors: Young Pirate Brash, Brazen

Lone Surviving Somali Pirate From Attempted Hijack Of U.S. Ship Breaks Down In N.Y. Court

(AP)  Prosecutors say Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse was not shy about making his presence known on the Maersk Alabama, brazenly tearing through the ship in a way that belied his young age and skinny frame.

He was the first to board the ship, fired a shot at the captain, helped steal $30,000 in cash from a safe, and bragged about hijacking ships in the past, authorities said.

But the swagger authorities say the 18-year-old displayed on the ship had evaporated by the time he entered a federal courtroom Tuesday to face a piracy charge that carries a mandatory life prison sentence. He is the first pirate charged in the United States in more than a century.

The tough demeanor he was alleged to have shown on the high seas dissolved into audible sobs as his lawyers notified the court that they had spoken to his family in Somalia. When the judge asked him if he understood that court-appointed lawyers would represent him, the teenager responded through a translator: "I understand. I don't have any money." He still had a tattered white bandage on his left hand that resulted from getting stabbed by a sailor during the skirmish.

His defense lawyers portrayed Muse as a frightened kid and not the violent pirate depicted by prosecutors. They believe he is 15 years old and should be given greater protections under international law because of his age and the circumstances of his situation, and predicted he would be exonerated.

"As you can tell, he's extremely young, injured and terrified," lawyer Deirdre von Dornum said.

Muse was charged with several counts, including piracy under the law of nations. That charge carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.

The decision by the federal government to bring Muse to justice here has thrust the teenager into international spotlight and has raised legal questions about whether the U.S. is going too far in trying to make an example of someone so young.

Muse's age was called into question by differing accounts, but the judge who heard arguments about the issue ruled Tuesday that he can be tried as an adult. The government says he's 18.

On Wednesday, his mother, Adar Abdirahman Hassan, reiterated that her son is 16.

"I plead with the American judges not to commit an injustice against Abdiwali and hand down an unfair verdict on my son," Hassan said from her home in Galkayo town.

Muse appeared in court as investigators released new details of the hijacking in a criminal complaint against the defendant, the oldest of 12 children and the son of parents who scraped together a few dollars a day in Somalia selling milk and tending to a small herd of camels, cows and goats.

The complaint by FBI agent Steven E. Sorrells provided dramatic new details about the seizure of the ship and what transpired before three pirates were shot by U.S. snipers and Muse was captured.

Sorrells said that the ship's captain, Richard Phillips, told him he fired multiple warning flares at the pirate boat to try to chase them away as they approached in the middle of the night April 8.

The agent said Muse was the first pirate to board the boat when he climbed up a portable ladder, armed with a gun, as the boat was about 280 miles off the coast of Somalia.

"From the deck of the Maersk Alabama, Muse fired his gun at the captain who was still in the bridge," Sorrells said. The bridge is an enclosed room in the rear of the ship that provides a view of the deck and the surrounding waters.

The agent said Muse entered the room, told the captain to stop the ship and "conducted himself as the leader of the pirates."

After the other pirates boarded the boat, three of them accompanied the captain to a safe where he took out about $30,000 in cash, which was then taken by the pirates, the agent said.

Sorrells said the pirates held Phillips on a lifeboat for four days, with Muse telling the captain at one point that he had hijacked other ships before.

But Muse wasn't the most savvy pirate.

Investigators said Muse was tricked into leaving his weapon behind with fellow pirates when he went to hunt for other crew members. A crew member apparently told Muse the crew would be afraid to surrender if he was armed.

With Muse searching the boat with a flashlight after the power was shut off by a crew member, one of them hid briefly and then tackled him, the agent said. Another crew member then helped tie Muse's hands with wire and took him to a room where other crew members were, Sorrells said. Later, Muse was freed when he and the other pirates left the boat with the captain to begin their four days on the lifeboat.

After the captain tried to escape by jumping in the water, the pirates fired a gun at him and later tied him up and hit him, Sorrells said.

The crew member who stabbed Muse said Tuesday that the teenager counted himself lucky to raid a U.S. ship and carried himself as the leader of the pirate gang.

"He was surprised he was on a U.S. ship. He kept asking, `You all come from America?' Then he claps and cheers and smiles. He caught himself a big fish. He can't believe it," crewmember ATM "Zahid" Reza said. Muse planned to demand at least $3 million, Reza said.

He said Muse told him it was his dream to come to America. "His dreams come true, but he comes to the U.S. not as a visitor, but as a prisoner," Reza said.

The details of Muse's life are murky, with his parents in Somalia insisting he was tricked into getting involved in piracy. His mother said he was "wise beyond his years" - a child who ignored other boys his age who tried to tease him and got lost in books instead.

"The last time I saw him, he was in his school uniform," the teen's mother, Adar Abdirahman Hassan, 40, told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday from her home in Galkayo. "He was brainwashed. People who are older than him outwitted him, people who are older than him duped him."

Omar Jamal, executive director of Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis, said his Somali immigrant organization made contact with family members of the pirates during the hostage standoff.

Muse's family members "don't have any money. The father has some camels and cows and goats outside the city. ... The father goes outside with the livestock and comes home at night. Father said they don't have any money, they are broke," Jamal said.

Muse's mother sells milk at a small market every day, saving around $6 every month for school fees for her oldest son. She pays $15 a month in rent.

Jamal said his organization was working to get a lawyer for Muse and to find if he has medical or mental problems.

"What we have is a confused teenager, overnight thrown into the highest level of the criminal justice system in the United States out of a country where there's no law at all," Jamal said.

Alfred P. Rubin, a professor of international law at Tufts University who wrote a book on piracy, said there had not been a major pirate prosecution in the United States since 1885, when the American ship Ambrose Light was attacked by pirates.

Reza, the crew member who stabbed Muse, plans to testify against him in his trial, but hopes not to see him.

"No, I don't want to see him. Not at all. I hate his face. I could have died," Reza said.

[toldyouso29]

As you can tell, he's extremely young, injured and terrified," lawyer Deirdre von Dornum said.


Tears of the vanquished. Where was his remorse and tears when he was brandishing a gun and terrorizing others? He will get little sympathy from most Americans and the "he's young and poor " sob story just doesn't cut it anymore. He's scared at what will await him in an American jail. He should be. We should make piracy punishable by death--like in the old days.

[redbarron73]

the oldest of 12 children and the son of parents who scraped together a few dollars a day in Somalia selling milk and tending to a small herd of camels, cows and goats.


This seems to be the norm. Poor, starving people who can't feed their TWELVE children.

From now on, in order for anyone, from any country to qualify for any type of humanitarian aid, the first requirement is all males to have a vasectomy, and all females have their tubes tied.

Inside the US, in order to qualify for welfare, food stamps, or any other form of government assistance, after a woman has ONE child, she must have her tubes tied to receive even one penny. And all males must have a vasectomy to qualify.

It's time to put a stop to the population explosion of welfare babies.

[keithle1]

Why can't they just blow up anyone who isn't police/military that they see going around in a little boat holding grenade launchers & armed to the teeth? You're obviously not fishing or sightseeing. Hit 'em with a few of those Hellfire missiles. Attack like the "Valkyrie" helicopters in "Apocalypse Now." What is Somalia going to do? Declare war on the USA?

Africa, with a few exceptions, is one seriously messed up continent. So many two-bit, good-for-nothing, screwed up, pain-in-the-butt countries. Nothing but problems 24-7.

[breadymiller]

Not to change the subject, BUT, does anyone feel sorry for the young pirate. I dont. I believe he know exactly what he was doing because he has done this before. I want to know where all the money they are getting is. Why are they not living better and trying to improve themselves. Who is getting all the money????

[TominNY]

gangesdak,

You seem to be confusing several different crimes and stirring in a tincture of racism.

Why not focus exclusively on this topic, not the craigslist thing, not the white collar criminals, not the racist angle.

Are you proposing that we enagage in "Pirate Sensitivity" training? Come on, get real.

[pw08-2009]

gangesdak,

Stop trying to make excuses for bad behavior. Everyone here knows you're black and we hear this all the time from your race. The word Racism has become so watered down because people have their eyes open and YOU don't have the first clue about what real rascism is, all you can do is scream it aloud and blame white people like most of your brothers and sisters do...problem is, your rant is falling on deaf ears. Why don't you scream as loud about the gang violence killing your children...exeactly, because you condone the violence probably...but blame whites for it.

[mollydtt]

Actually, I'm pretty relieved that the Craigslist murderer is white. He should be given the death penalty, and this time, no one can cry racial profiling.
Whatever happened to just being guilty. No matter what color. These pirates aren't alleged, they were caught in the act. And I'm sure they will get away with murder.

[gangesdak]

Tripping over each other over the mode of punishment, and frothing over the virtue of remaining virtuous, is good. Politicians (particularly Lim-poon types) and organized religion would love you; pacifier for the lower middle class- law & order- Lambs-R-Us. Young black, perhaps semi literate, no English- trample him. How can you punish the sweet smelling educated diabolical criminals? After all, they are your superiors. No French revolution here!

[ianlou]

Lets give him a boat ride half way home.

[mollydtt]

Who said people weren't appalled by the Craigslist murderer? That guy is scum. I cannot imagine why anyone would say that piracy should be okay, because otherwise it is racist. Sheesh!

[pw08-2009]

somaliatoo,

Show me any evidence of the general public defending the actions of the craigs list killer. I see his family defending him...go cry racism somewhere else.

[pw08-2009]

gangesdak,

Maybe you should put on a green leotard and become Robinhood...I don't support anyone trying to steal money. I work for mine.

[somaliaToo]

The tragedy is the difference made between the comments on this post and that of the Craiglist murderer...

First of all, both gentlemen have commited heinous crimes and should be punished accordingly. But how quick we are to slaughter the Somali while we take so lightly the medical student victimizing and killing women.

Wonder why that is... rascism? political party? lineage?

[endurorob]

This one is just a kid. What good is it to take out all angers on him? Take the angers to the CEOs and top officials of fiancial houses who are still claiming on all TV talk shows that they deserve their bonus. What, they are all 3-piece suited Ivy leage college educated officers, how can you be angry with them? It is so easy to be angry with this scruffy looking uneducated young man, I know.
Posted by gangesdak at 9:36 AM : Apr 22, 2009


What do executives have to do with this pirate. It is idiotic to try to excuse his illegal behavior by bringing up the questionable morals of financial executives.

[krzeaz]

Bring back the guillotine

[TominNY]

Mandatory penalty of Life in Prison?

And who should pay to keep his carcass alive?

Public Execution would be more appropriate!

[gangesdak]

Posted by pw08-2009 at 9:56 AM : Apr 22, 2009

True. Perhaps he will pay for his bad choice. But the 3-piece suited culprits have proved themselves to be far more dangenous. It is a pity that you still worship them, after all they still own homes that is beyond your reach. How can you punish them?

[mollydtt]

He's a 'confused teenager' because he got caught. If they had been successful, he wouldn't be a 'confused teenager'--he'd have lots of money, and if they had had to kill anyone--hey, it was just business.

It wasn't jaywalking, it was kidnapping, and holding real, honest-to-God rifles to peoples' heads.
Piracy is glorified business in Somalia. Knowing that they can kill anyone, yet if they get caught, just claim to be confused, and 16, ---yeah, be a pirate. No problem.

If the mom wants to come to the U S, just get some of the other pirate booty to buy her an airplane ticket. Those pirates need to help their own.

[artorus]

savvy!!

[pw08-2009]

gangesdak,

He's a kid that made a very bad choice and now he is reaping the consequences of it. Maybe you don't think people should be held accountable for their actions but many other people do. He would've been damn happy getting the cash if he would've gotten away with it and do you think he would've given a rats a** about the people he took hostage....yeah, neither did I.