A Somali pirate has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 2010 attack on the USS Ashland, a U.S. Navy ship. Mohamed Farah, 31, of Somalia, was convicted of engaging in piracy and committing other offenses related to the attack.
The attack occurred on April 10, 2010, when Farah and five co-conspirators attempted to capture the USS Ashland. The defendants were intercepted by the HMS Chatham of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy in February 2010, while attempting to capture another vessel for ransom.
A federal jury convicted Farah on February 27, 2013. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Farah was also sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Jerome Teresinski of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
This is not the first time one of Farah’s co-conspirators has been sentenced for their role in the attack. Four of Farah’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced for their roles in the attack: Jama Idle Ibrahim (15 years in prison), Mohamed Ali Said (33 years), Mohamed Abdi Jama (life plus 30 years), and Abdicasiis Cabaase (life plus 30 years). The remaining pirate from the attack on the USS Ashland, Abdi Abshir Osman, was sentenced to life plus 10 years.
The case is a significant blow to Somali piracy, which has been a major concern for international shipping companies in recent years. The U.S. government has been actively working to combat piracy and protect American interests abroad.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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