Abdikarim Salah ‘Aw Koombe, ‘ well-known pirate leader who authorities say was involved in many maritime attacks against ships over the years, to face trial
The Chinese navy on Friday handed over a notorious pirate leader captured last month after a failed hijack attempt.
Abdikarim Salah “Aw Koombe” and two other pirates are now in the custody of Puntland security officials at the Red Sea port of Bosaso.
The three, who were in handcuffs and wearing flotation jackets, were brought to the port in small rubber boats.
Colonel Yasin Ali Nur, commander of security forces at Bosaso port, told VOA Somali reporter Fadumo Yasin Jama, the three will be tried on piracy-related charges.
“These three prisoners, their weapons, will be kept here at the prison at the port until they are transferred to the central prison, until they appear before a court, ” Nur said.
Chinese navy officers dock on the shores of the Gulf of Aden to hand over three suspected pirates involved in the attempted hijacking in April of the OS35, a cargo ship.
Dozens of hijackings
One of the three prisoners was involved in up to 26 hijackings, said Abdimajid Samatar, director of Regional Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport which overseas anti-piracy activities in Puntland. It’s believed Samatar was referring to Aw Koombe.
