Somali Pirate Of Maersk Alabama Indicted

May 20, 2009 7:15 a.m. EST

Manhattan, NY (AHN) - The captured pirate from a group of Somalis who hijacked a U.S. cargo ship last month and then took the captain hostage was indicted on Tuesday on 10 counts. He is scheduled to enter a plea on Thursday.

A Manhattan federal grand jury returned the indictment against Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse and includes charges in the complaint field by federal prosecutors such as piracy and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking as well as five other counts. The first charge already carries and mandatory term of life imprisonment.

Prosecutors say Muse had acted as the leader of four pirates when they boarded the Alabama 300 miles off Somalia's coast on April 8. The ship had a 20-man American crew including the captain and was on its way to deliver food aid to Mombasa, Kenya.

Muse had allegedly ordered the Alabama stopped, and then negotiated with the U.S. military on behalf of the pirates while they held the captain, Richard Phillips, hostage for four days in an 18-foot lifeboat.

He had requested and was allowed to board a Navy destroyer, the USS Bainbridge, on April 12 to demand safe passage from the area in return for releasing the captain. The same day, Muse was taken into U.S. custody after the captain was rescued and Navy SEAL snipers aboard the Bainbridge killed three of the pirates.

Prosecutors believe Muse is over 18 years old, refuting statements by the Somali's mother that her son is a minor.

Phillips and his crew had returned home to the United States to a heroes' welcome. The captain had received praise from officials for "selflessly" offering himself to the pirates as hostage in exchange for his crew's release.

Defense Sec. Robert Gates has said no purely military solution will end piracy in the region, which is caused by poverty and political instability. He also says that shipping companies should help fight piracy by not paying any ransom.