Somali pirates convicted in US

CCIP · 11-24-10, 07:03 PM

First verdict of this kind in the US in 200 years. About time I say!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11825293

And honestly, my biggest question remaining in this whole case is... what on earth were they thinking trying to hijack an OHP?!?!?!

I mean I can't blame them for not knowing what it was, but to get even an idea for how dangerous it was? What could they possibly think a ship looking like it was? A really high-tech yacht? Geeeeeeeez, some people are dense.... Had they actually been shot up by Nicholas, this would've been a clear Darwin Award winner right there.

The fact they were 'promised thousands' for hijacking the ship also points to the fact that, sure, maybe they weren't 'real' pirates and someone just played a really silly practical joke on a band of really dumb guys who had little to lose. But at the end of the day, whoever put you up to it, you don't get to fire in the direction of a ship for the promise of cash and then call yourself something other than a pirate, in a court of law. And compared to what happened to those pirates that the Russians "let go" last year, these guys got off lucky. (Yes, I mean the ones that got released into the middle of the ocean in their dinghy without navigational equipment and drowned).

[edit]
I just realized that the action in question took place on April 1st. My suspicion that someone played a really funny hey-you-guys-should-attack-that-ship-over-there-it's-real-easy prank on these guys is rising...

Armistead · 11-24-10, 07:32 PM

Those guys are just cannon fodder. The smart ones stay at home.

TLAM Strike · 11-24-10, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

And honestly, my biggest question remaining in this whole case is... what on earth were they thinking trying to hijack an OHP?!?!?!

I mean I can't blame them for not knowing what it was, but to get even an idea for how dangerous it was? What could they possibly think a ship looking like it was? A really high-tech yacht? Geeeeeeeez, some people are dense.... Had they actually been shot up by Nicholas, this would've been a clear Darwin Award winner right there.

I guess the lack of a Mk 13 launcher threw them off, plus the 76mm is hidden away near the funnel...

Someone needs to buy these guys a copy of Jane's...

...someone needs to buy me a copy of Jane's while their at it too...

11-24-10, 07:03 PM	#1
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	Somali pirates convicted in US First verdict of this kind in the US in 200 years. About time I say! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11825293 And honestly, my biggest question remaining in this whole case is... what on earth were they thinking trying to hijack an OHP?!?!?! I mean I can't blame them for not knowing what it was, but to get even an idea for how dangerous it was? What could they possibly think a ship looking like it was? A really high-tech yacht? Geeeeeeeez, some people are dense.... Had they actually been shot up by Nicholas, this would've been a clear Darwin Award winner right there. The fact they were 'promised thousands' for hijacking the ship also points to the fact that, sure, maybe they weren't 'real' pirates and someone just played a really silly practical joke on a band of really dumb guys who had little to lose. But at the end of the day, whoever put you up to it, you don't get to fire in the direction of a ship for the promise of cash and then call yourself something other than a pirate, in a court of law. And compared to what happened to those pirates that the Russians "let go" last year, these guys got off lucky. (Yes, I mean the ones that got released into the middle of the ocean in their dinghy without navigational equipment and drowned). [edit] I just realized that the action in question took place on April 1st. My suspicion that someone played a really funny hey-you-guys-should-attack-that-ship-over-there-it's-real-easy prank on these guys is rising... __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) Last edited by CCIP; 11-24-10 at 07:17 PM.

11-24-10, 07:32 PM	#2
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Those guys are just cannon fodder. The smart ones stay at home.