Pirates who killed Americans may face US trial (VIDEO)
Suspected Somali pirates sit with their faces covered during a media interaction on board an Indian Coast guard ship off the coast of Mumbai on February 10, 2011. Twenty eight suspected pirates were brought to Mumbai on Feb. 10 for questioning over an alleged attack as Coastguard Inspector General S.P.S. Basara said that merchant vessels were being advised to keep clear of danger zones around the Lakshadweep Islands off the southwest state of Kerala because of a rise in pirate attacks.
A group of 15 pirates captured by Navy SEALs after the killing of four Americans on a hijacked yacht off Somalia could be sent to the U.S. to face trial, the BBC reported.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in New York City is campaigning for the death-penalty case, citing its recent victory in a piracy trial, according to the New York Post.
The group is being held aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. In the past year, at least six accused Somali pirates have been convicted in U.S. courts.
U.S. agencies are investigating the killings on Tuesday of Jean and Scott Adam, Phyllis Macay, Bob Riggle.
The US military, FBI and Justice Department are working on the next steps for their suspected killers, said Bob Prucha, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Florida, according to the BBC.
Meanwhile, pirates in Somalia said Wednesday they were ferrying ammunition and men to the 30 hijacked vessels still under their control, and they threatened to kill more captives following the violent end to a hostage standoff that left four Americans dead, the Associated Press reported.
The four Americans were aboard the S/V Quest, the Adams' 58-foot ship, when they were hijacked on Friday in the waters off Oman.
A convoy of Navy ships, including the Enterprise, sped to their rescue.
According to the US military, two pirates came aboard a U.S. Navy ship to negotiate the release of the hostages. A rocket-propelled grenade later launched toward the US Navy ships, missing, and the Navy sailors heard gunfire from the Quest.
A team of Navy Seal special forces sailors then boarded the Quest and found the four Americans dying from gunshot wounds.
U.S. special forces killed two pirates as they took control of the boat, and took 15 pirates into custody. Two pirates were found dead when the SEALs arrived but they were not killed by U.S. forces, the military said.
They regained control of the yacht, killing two pirates in the process and capturing an additional 15 pirates, and found the bodies of two pirates who were already dead, the US Navy said.
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