Underage Somali piracy suspect to be placed in Spanish youth centre

Oct 21, 2009, 11:56 GMT

Madrid - A suspected Somali pirate who could be less than 18 years old will be placed in a closed centre for minors in Spain, where he was brought 10 days ago, judicial sources said Wednesday.

A judge on Tuesday ordered the release from custody of Cabdiweli Cabdullahi, alias Abdou Willy, after the results of a medical test indicated that he could be a minor.

Cabdullahi, who was flown to Spain with another piracy suspect on October 12, will now come under the authority of prosecutors dealing with minors at the National Court.

There had been uncertainty about which court was responsible for Cabdullahi.

Since minors cannot be jailed in Spain, prosecutors were expected to place Cabdullahi in a closed centre for minors and to request more medical tests to obtain full certainty about his age.

Cabdullahi's co-suspect Raagegeesey Hassan Haji is in a Madrid prison waiting for the legal proceedings against him to continue.

The pair are suspected of participating in the hijacking of Spanish fishing vessel MS Alakrana on October 2. The trawler is currently being held off Somalia while Spanish negotiators are trying to obtain the release of its 36-member crew.

Two of the 13 suspected pirates were detained by a Spanish frigate participating in the European Union's anti-piracy Operation Atalanta when they left the Alakrana on board a skiff two days after the hijacking.

Cabdullahi and Haji were brought to Spain, where they were interrogated by investigating judge Baltasar Garzon.

The judge said they had been paid 2,500 dollars each for participating in the hijacking.

The Somalis, however, said they were only fishermen whom the pirates paid for towing their vessels.

The pirates set the release of their two comrades as one of the conditions for freeing the fishermen, who include 16 Spaniards. They are also believed to be seeking a large ransom.