Posted on 12/01/2011 12:58:02 AM PST by Cardhu
AFP - A French court on Wednesday jailed five Somali men for between four and eight years for taking a French couple hostage on their yacht in the Gulf of Aden, and acquitted a sixth.
In France's first prosecution of suspected Somali pirates, prosecutors had asked for the men, aged between 21 and 36, to be sent to jail for between six and 16 years on charges of hijacking, kidnapping and armed robbery.
The six allegedly seized the yacht and its crew, Jean-Yves Delanne and his wife Bernadette, both aged 60, off the coast of Somalia in 2008 and demanded a $2 million (1.3 million euro) ransom.
They were captured and flown to France after French special forces stormed the yacht, the Carre d'As IV, and rescued the couple. A seventh suspect was killed in the raid.
The defendants apologised to their victims Wednesday, as their trial wrapped up.
"I ask Mr. and Mrs. Delanne to forgive me for the harm I caused them," one of the Somalis, Sheikh Nur Jama Mohamud, said as the accused were given a final chance to speak.
"I wish them a good and long life," said another of the accused, Mohamed Hassan Yacub, adding he hoped his sentence will be "as lenient as possible".
The youngest of the accused, Yusuf, who was a minor at the time of the hijacking, said he hoped to eventually "rebuild my life in France".
After Wednesday's hearing, the two victims walked up to the accused and greeted them. "Good luck," Bernadette Delanne told them.
Noticed how they were kissing up big time now that they’re on the other side of the power.
Five bullets, to the back of the heads of each. It’s the only thing Muslims understand.
Piracy on the sea....Death penalty.
Why do they go to jail but cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal is made an honorary citizen of Paris?
Gotta make sure they survive at the expense of law abiding producers.
Jail time? What kind of sissy punishment is that?
Why not bring out Madam Guillotine and do it properly?
They’re pirates, they deserve to receive the traditional punishment for pirates.
No yard arms?
They are patriotic Environmental Protection Sea Scouts. Besides, if you were some Somali MF, and you could kidnap a couple of Frogs, with the only downside for you a new life of brioche et apéritif dans la belle France, what would you do?
Vive les boucaniers!
Can someone please tell me, exactly, why the seaside settlements of these Somali MFs are not on fire right now, with their boats smoldering wrecks, and with the survivors being chased into the bush by Foreign Legionnaires and their excellent fast armor and helo gunships ....like right now?
The pirates will eat better in a French prison than they ever did in Somalia!
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