Two of ten Somalis found guilty of piracy in the Indian Ocean high seas cover their faces as they arrive at a court in Mombassa November 1, 2006. Ten Somalis detained by the United States Navy off the coast of Somalia were found guilty of piracy by a Kenyan court on Thursday. U.S. sailors boarded a ship in January in waters off the Somali capital Mogadishu that was carrying the 10 Somalis along with 16 Indians, believed to be hostages.

Four of the ten Somalis found guilty of piracy in the Indian Ocean high seas stand in front of a court in Mombassa November 1, 2006. Ten Somalis detained by the United States Navy off the coast of Somalia were found guilty of piracy by a Kenyan court on Thursday. U.S. sailors boarded a ship in January in waters off the Somali capital Mogadishu that was carrying the 10 Somalis along with 16 Indians, believed to be hostages.

MOMBASA , Kenya, Nov 01 2006 - Ten Somalis detained by the U.S. Navy off the coast of Somalia and convicted of piracy by a Kenyan court were jailed for seven years on Wednesday.

U.S. sailors boarded a ship in January in waters off the Somali capital Mogadishu carrying the 10 Somalis along with 16 Indians, believed to be hostages.

The Somalis denied any wrongdoing after being handed over to authorities in neighboring Kenya, saying they were stranded fishermen who boarded the Indian-owned ship seeking refuge.

But last week a Kenyan court found them guilty of piracy.

Defense lawyer Hassan Abdi said he would appeal, asking whether a magistrate in Kenya's coastal city of Mombassa had the right to try a crime committed in international waters.

"This being the first case of its kind in Kenya, I think the High Court will set a precedent by determining whether the lower court had the jurisdiction to try the matter or not," he said.

The conviction had carried a maximum of life imprisonment.

Piracy is endemic in Somali waters but increased foreign patrols and an anti-piracy stance by Mogadishu's Islamists, who control a swathe of the south, have stemmed attacks.

Source: Reuters