Somali Pirates Extradited to Germany

An armed Somali pirate along the coastline while the Greek cargo ship, MV Filitsa, is seen anchored just off the shores of Hobyo town in northeastern Somalia where its being held by pirates. (Mohamed Dahir/AFP/Getty Images)

Ten alleged Somali pirates are being extradited to Germany to face trial. The men were captured earlier this month after hijacking a German cargo vessel.

Commandos from a nearby Dutch navy ship patrolling the area arrested the men after a gun battle on the cargo ship. The 15-member crew on the ship were unharmed.

Germany is now pursuing actions to put the alleged pirates on trial on German soil, which will be a first. On Wednesday the men were flown by military plane from Somalia to The Hague in the Netherlands where they will be held until extradited.

Prosecuting pirates has proved to be an arduous task in the past, as Somalia itself lacks a stable central government. Despite dozens of warships in the vast region as part of an EU naval force to curb piracy, the number of attacks by pirates doubled last year.