More Charges for Alleged Somali Pirates Indicted for Attack of the USS Ashland

NORFOLK, VA—A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has returned a second superseding indictment charging five men from Somalia with engaging in piracy and related offenses pertaining to the attack on the U.S. Navy ship, the USS Ashland.

Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement.

As in the prior indictments, the second superseding indictment charges five men, Mohamed Ali Said, a/k/a Maxamad Cali Saciid; Mohamed Abdi Jama, a/k/a Mohammed Abdi Jamah; Abdicasiis Cabaase, a/k/a Ahmed Mahomood; Abdirazaq Abshir Osman, a/k/a Abdirasaq Abshir; and Mohamed Farah, a/k/a Mohamed Farraah Hassan, with a number of charges relating to the attack of the USS Ashland on April 10, 2010. The second superseding indictment adds allegations that three of the defendants went to sea in February 2010 for purposes of capturing another vessel but were instead intercepted by the HMS Chatham of the Royal Navy.

The charges alleged in the second superseding indictment and the maximum sentences are as follows: conspiracy to commit hostage taking (count one), carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; conspiracy to commit kidnapping (count two), carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; conspiracy to perform act of violence against persons on a vessel (count three), carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy involving firearm and a crime of violence (count four), carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; piracy under the Law of Nations (count five), carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; attack to plunder vessel (count six), carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; assault with a dangerous weapon on federal officers and employees (count seven), carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; act of violence against persons on a vessel (count eight), carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and use/possession of firearm during crime of violence (counts nine and 10), carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison if convicted of one count. A second or subsequent conviction adds an additional 25 years, making the prison term a minimum mandatory 35 years.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin L. Hatch and Joseph DePadilla, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Jerome Teresinski of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.

The public is reminded that an indictment only contains charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

USS Bulkeley Protects M/V Artemis Glory From Pirates

By Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) responded to a mayday message from M/V Artemis Glory which reported it was being attacked by pirates while transiting the Gulf of Oman at 10:35 a.m. (local), May 16.

The German-owned, Panama-flagged, very large crude carrier (VLCC), was en route from Juaymah Terminal in Saudi Arabia to China with a cargo of crude oil when it was attacked while sailing south east through the Gulf of Oman.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Diligence (A132) received a mayday call from the MV Artemis Glory, saying that their ship was under attack by pirates.

RFA Diligence relayed the mayday message to Combined Maritime Forces (UKMTO). UKMTO confirmed the message with the master of Artemis Glory, that she was being pursued by a skiff with four individuals on board who were firing small arms at the vessel.

Bulkeley, operating as part of Combined Maritime Forces, responded to the mayday by launching an SH-60B helicopter assigned to Helicopter Squadron, Light (HSL) 48, Det. 4, "Vipers," to investigate.

Upon arrival, the helicopter observed Artemis Glory being attacked by four individuals in a skiff who were firing upon on the vessel using small arms.

Under the principle of 'extended unit self defence' and in order to provide protection to the crew of Artemis Glory, Bulkeley's helicopter engaged the pirates.

All the pirates are believed to have been killed.

Artemis Glory has 23 crew persons onboard. No crew members were injured in the attack.

Artemis Glory is continuing to her next port of call.

CTF 52 Conducts Mine Countermeasure Exercise with NATO

By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Commander, Task Force 52 ships participated in a mine countermeasures exercise with Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group (SNMCMG) 2 and French forces in the Arabian Gulf March 20-24.

Mine countermeasures ships USS Ardent (MCM 12) and USS Scout (MCM 8), Royal Navy's Fleet auxiliary landing dock ship RFA Lyme Bay and mine countermeasures ships HMS Pembroke and HMS Middleton, all assigned to CTF 52, participated alongside French Ships Croix de Sud and Var as well as the ships of SNMCMG 2 -- Greek frigate HS Spetsai, and minehunters FGS Herten (Germany), HS Kallisto (Greece) ITS Viareggio (Italy) and ESPS Tajo (Spain).

The five-day long exercise gave all forces an opportunity to increase tactical and technical proficiency in a variety of disciplines and emphasized operating as part of a multi-national effort.

In addition to mine detection and neutralization events, the ships conducted gunnery exercises, a group formation photo exercise, underway replenishments and operations with helicopters from Spetsai and Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 Det 2, assigned to CTF 52.

"The NATO PASSEX [passing exercise] provided great opportunities to not only practice our core mine warfare competencies, but to do so with our NATO partners. Together, we were able to become a better prepared, more unified force," said Lt. Cmdr. Curtis Sparling, Scout's commanding officer.

At the conclusion of the event, a reception was held aboard Greek frigate HS Spetsai, serving as the flagship for SNMCMG 2. It provided a chance for the crews to meet one another in person.

U.S. Fifth Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Mark Fox attended the event.

"We have a unique set of challenges in this region," Fox said. "We rely on cooperation and partnerships with other coalitions and independent navies to help achieve our goals of maritime stability and security throughout the region."

CTF 52 is the mine countermeasures force of the Coalition Forces Maritime Component Command overseen by the U.S. 5th Fleet. It operates regularly to ensure free and unfettered use of the sea lanes in the central Arabian Gulf, one of the world's critical stretches of sea for international commerce.