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NORFOLK In a historic decision, a jury in federal court today convicted five Somali nationals of piracy in the April 1 attack on the Norfolk-based frigate Nicholas. It’s the first time in nearly 200 years that a jury returned a guilty verdict in a piracy case in a U.S. court and now likely sets up years of appeals. The five men face mandatory life in prison. Each defendant stood without expression as the court clerk announced guilty verdicts on each of 14 counts. Their lawyers were polling the jury to ensure the verdict was read correctly. The jury deliberated about...

The most astonishing thing about Sarah Palin’s career, since the conclusion of the 2008 presidential campaign, is how frequently the Left breaks itself to pieces against the sunny rocks of her good humor. The latest example is the website Gawker, which seems on the verge of being sued out of existence because they rushed to leak photocopied pages from her new book, America By Heart, before it was published. When Palin called them on it, Gawker ran a snotty response, complete with an unflattering photo of the former Governor, suggesting she try reading fair-use copyright laws. Mary Sue at the...

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.” COICA is the latest effort by Hollywood, the recording industry and...

Five Somalis facing piracy charges were simple fishermen kidnapped, and at times blindfolded, by war lords and forced to take part in attacks on vessels in the Indian Ocean, their attorneys told a jury in federal court today. But to convince the jury that they’re innocent of trying to attack the Navy frigate Nicholas on April 1, they will have to somehow overcome their own words – confessions they gave to U.S. officials. Some wondered why the Somalis had the same rights as U.S. citizens... The Nicholas was on counter-piracy patrol more than 500 miles off the east African coast...

The military airlifted the suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea and most of its Russian crew from Cape Verde to Moscow on Thursday, after the lumber freighter mysteriously vanished and reappeared in the Atlantic. Eleven of the 15 crew members arrived in Moscow, while the captain and three sailors remained on the ship, which was adrift about 200 nautical miles from the West African island nation of Cape Verde. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said the freighter was sailing to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. The sailors and their suspected captors arrived in two separate Il-76 cargo jets at the...

Pirates have left the German vessel Beluga Fortune, which they captured in the Indian Ocean on Sunday. According to the coordinator of a sailor support program for East Africa Andrew Mvangura, the pirates chose to leave after the ship’s crew locked themselves in a safe area pending the arrival of military ships.None of the crew, among them three Russians, were hurt. Ships of the Russian Navy are assisting international efforts off the Horn of Africa.

ZAPATA - Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez, Jr. tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS armed pirates shot at a McAllen couple on Falcon Lake this afternoon. The husband and wife were jetskiing near Old Guerrero. One their way back to shore, pirates in a boat pulled up next to them and started shooting at them. The husband was hit, possibly in the head. The woman tried to save him and ended up being at shot as well. She had to turn around and leave her husband in the water. She fears he's dead.

The Indian Navy neutralised a pirate attack planned on merchant vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden on Sunday. Indian naval ship INS Delhi, a guided missile destroyer, has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden since July to escort and thwart pirate attacks on merchant vessels. INS Delhi was escorting 12 merchant vessels, including an Indian flagged merchant vessel Jag Ratan, when a small-sized, corridor boat named Bareeda was detected 180 kilometres off the Somalian coast. The boat was moving towards the merchant vessels at very high speed. INS Delhi tried to alert the boat on the Mercantile Marine...

U.S. Marines Retake Ship From Pirates By CHIP CUMMINS DUBAI—U.S. Marines early Thursday boarded and seized control of a German-owned commercial vessel that had been commandeered by pirates, in what appeared to be the first American-led military boarding of its kind amid a recent surge of attacks in the Gulf of Aden and along the east coast of Africa. A raiding party of 24 Marines boarded the ship about 85 miles southeast of Mukallah, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. Navy. Pirates had captured the vessel, which was carrying steel chains, in the same vicinity the...

A Somali man has admitted attacking a US warship in April after mistaking it for a merchant vessel. Jama Idle Ibrahim and five others chased the USS Ashland and opened fire on it before being captured, court papers said. He pleaded guilty to piracy-related charges in Norfolk, Virginia, and faces 30 years in jail. Five other Somalis also face charges over the attack. Prosecutors said it was Norfolk's first piracy-related conviction in 150 years. "Modern-day pirates must be held accountable," said Neil MacBride, prosecuting. After making a deal with the authorities, Ibrahim pleaded guilty to attacking to plunder a vessel,...

NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Somali man Friday pleaded guilty in federal court in Norfolk, Va., to attacking the USS Ashland in the first successful U.S. piracy prosecution in 150 years. Jama Idle Ibrahim told the court he believed the Ashland was a merchant vessel he could hold for ransom. The ship was attacked April 10 in the Gulf of Aden. "Today marks the first conviction in Norfolk for acts of piracy in more than 150 years," U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said. "Modern-day pirates must be held accountable and will face severe consequences." Ibrahim, also known as Jaamac...

RICHMOND, Va. - A judge on Tuesday dismissed piracy charges against six Somali nationals accused of attacking a Navy ship off the coast of Africa, concluding the U.S. government failed to make the case their alleged actions amounted to piracy. The dismissal of the piracy count by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson tosses the most serious charge against the men, but leaves intact seven other charges related to the alleged April 10 attack on the USS Ashland in the Gulf of Aden. A piracy conviction carries a mandatory life term.

Welcome to Hippies Failing Badly!TM   REVENGE IS MINEPremiering Friday, July 23, 9PM e/p In the aftermath of the devastating loss of their stealth vessel, the Sea Shepherds have returned to the campaign with renewed passion and intensity. Now the two remaining ships are back on the hunt for the Japanese fleet. Video: Pete Bethune Risks It All Video: Whalers Packing a Rifle? Video: Breaching Humpback Whales Deleted: Anger Management   READY TO SNAPPremiering Friday, July 30, 9PM e/p With low oil and drinking water, and a damaged helicopter, the Sea Shepherds' hunt for the Japanese whaling fleet has been...

Welcome to Hippies Failing Badly!TMThere is not a premier episode this week, but since I was traveling last Friday it all works out. So here's the series summary from the first three episodes: When we last left the Blubber Boat Captain Stumbling and Gopher were trying to get Issac to make pina coladas with kelp and soybeans. Maybe not. Let’s try that again. When we last left the Skipper and Granoligan on the SS Minnow they were talking with Ginger and Moon Unit, who we learned in Episode 2 smell like hampsters. Okay, one last try. Admiral Coco Puffs and...

TOKYO — The leader of a U.S.-based anti-whaling organization is now on an international wanted list for allegedly masterminding the group's disruption of Japanese whale hunts in the Antarctic Ocean, Japan's coast guard said Friday. The move — done at Japan's request — signals Tokyo's escalating anger against the Sea Shepherd group, which it accuses of putting whalers' lives at risk during the annual Antarctic hunt. The Canadian founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Paul Watson, 59, has been on the Interpol list since Wednesday, Coast Guard spokesman Shinichiro Tanaka said. He said Watson's whereabouts is unknown. [excerpt]

The entire idea of intellectual property is a fraud. Beyond that, this is merely an excuse to crackdown on the free internet. If you view the stories just today you'll be shocked how much good news is all the sudden coming out, this is the best I've ever seen things news wise, it's as if this year we're experiencing some complete and total societal renaissance. - Chris"It's smash and grab, no different than a guy walking down Fifth Avenue and smashing the window at Tiffany's and reaching in and grabbing what's in the window." -- U.S. VP Joe Biden While...

How do you tell the difference between a Somali pirate in a small boat and a largely identical but innocent fisherman? It all comes down to the ladders. Pirates often take fishing gear out with them into the deep waters of the Indian Ocean to help feed themselves, and fishermen from the lawless country often carry AK-47s for self protection. Grappling hooks can be easily hidden out of sight. But if naval officers see a small boat with long metal ladders lashed to the deck, they say they know for sure the occupants have set to sea with only one...

N. Korea airs illegal broadcast of World Cup opening match SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea broadcast the opening match of the FIFA World Cup between hosts South Africa and Mexico Saturday, despite its lack of broadcasting rights. The recorded footage of Friday's game was broadcast via the North's Korean Central Broadcasting Station, prompting an accusation of piracy from the South Korean broadcaster, SBS, which has the World Cup broadcasting rights for the entire Korean Peninsula. "The North's broadcast was unauthorized as we have the broadcasting rights for entire Korean Peninsula," an SBS official said. "The company will decide...

Welcome to Hippies Failing Badly!TM   Last week’s episode (showing at 8PM e/p): SURROUNDED BY SPIESPremiering Friday, June 4, 9PM e/p As whaling season begins in the Antarctic, the Sea Shepherds embark on another dangerous campaign. With three vessels all launching from a different port, Captain Paul Watson now faces the daunting task of being the admiral of a fleet.   This week’s episode: CROSSING DANGERPremiering Friday, June 11, 9PM e/p   After repeated attempts to outrun and engage his pursuers, Captain Paul Watson makes a dangerous decision. Meanwhile, the Sea Shepherds' speedboat, Ady Gil, has returned to dock to...

Tonight is the premier of this seasons "Whale Wars" where a fat guy takes a crew of volunteers thousands of miles into dangerous waters to make a big stink about the Japanese phony research whale killing. And what does he ever accomplish? Nothing, oh wait a second, I guess he just prompted Australia to take their best trading partner, Japan, to international court over the matter...... but he's stll fat! (s/)