Five Pirate Suspects To Face Charges In U.S.

The five suspects are being taken to Norfolk, Virginia where they will face criminal proceedings. The Kenyan government told Washington its court system is overburdened and cannot accept any more cases.

The five Somali pirates are suspected of firing weapons at the USS NICHOLAS from a skiff of the coast of Seychelles. The US navy ship returned fire sinking the skiff. A special ops team from the Nicholas captured and detained three of the pirates from the skiff and two more from the captured “mother ship.”

Currently, the Navy is holding 21 pirate suspects on three ships off the coast of Africa, including the five to be sent back to the United States. Ten of the pirates are expected to be turned over to Oman after being accused of attacking an Omani-flagged ship.

The last time a pirate suspect was brought to the Untied States was April 2009, after the deadly attack on the U.S. flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama.