Pirates’ attorneys want convictions overturned: they really weren’t “pirates”

Once again, word games are interfering with seamen’s justice.

The attorneys for the five Somalis who were convicted of piracy in the attack of a U.S. Navy ship want the convictions tossed out.

Why? Well, not because they did not actually attack the USS Nicholas on April 1 off the Horn of Africa. Not even because they never intended to attack the ship.

According to the attorneys, the criminals did not actually board or rob the ship. Therefore, their actions did not constitute piracy, under the 1819 definition of piracy. Thus, the federal government was in the wrong for charging them as pirates.

The government disagrees, saying that under international law their actions clearly fit the crime.

This case was the first successful U.S. prosecution of piracy in almost 200 years.

Source: Yahoo News