A Somali pirate finds himself in hot water after taking over a ship, bragging about pirating others
As I try to get back to my beloved Tayana 36 in Port Isabel, Texas, I can’t help but think about the trip ahead of me.
While a long ways in the future, if ever, I can see my self sailing off of the African coast. I can also see me sailing off of the Mexican coast on my way to Belize or Guatemala's Rio Dulce.
Mexico is ripe with drug dealers, kidnappers and ner-do-wells. I think many sailors sigh in relief to know some of the pirates who have been attacking civilian craft are being brought to justice!
It is sad to see one of the pirates, Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, likely being under-age. It is tragic to think a youth could spend the rest of his years in the cross bar motel for piracy.
On the other hand, these rogues have been terrorizing private craft for years with impunity. The fact they are under-age does not change the fear and intimidation they bring to sailboat and ship captains and crew. In some cases, the crew are harmed or killed. What are we going to to about that?
Muse is an extreme example of the swash buckling pirate. He brags about his conquests and did not hesitate to use force when he climbed aboard the Maersk Alabama to take control.
Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse was one of the first to board the Maersk Alabama on April 8. As he took over the ship he fired at Capt. Richard Phillips. He broke into the ship’s safe and stole $30,000, according to a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan.
Muse and his cohorts placed what they said was a bomb next to one of the ships crew and told the crew they would shred him into pieces if the crew did not do as they were told. ‘
A Manhattan judge decided Muse could be tried as an adult, meaning he could spend a lot of time bending over for tough guys as he serves his live sentence. He will eventually learn how to avoid the gang rapes he is bound to suffer in the first year of serious jail time.
Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse changed his bright smile with the media attention he has won to tears as he contemplated the sentence that could be handed down.
The 15 year old made the sailors on the Maersk sailors to lower a ladder so more pirates could board. He was not using his head because the sailors tricked him into putting his weapon down in the process. That is when the sailors tackled him and made short work of it in subduing him.
Muse tried to negotiate on behalf of other pirates making an escape in one of the ships long boats. The U.S. Navy shot and killed them. Muse is not very good at negotiating.
Muse’s lawyer said he was really a victim. He was a fisherman who was likely captured by real pirates during Somalia's civil war and forced to participate in the hijacking.
That might be a mitigating factor during sentencing. However, Muse clearly terrorized the captain and crew of a passing ship and most think he should pay a price. Perhaps other pirates will think twice before attacking innocent sailors and ship’s captains!
More information can be found here: Pirate or child? What price should a buccaneer pay?
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