06 May 2010

RUSSIA:UPDATE: Marines Storm Pirated Tanker, Kill 1, Arrest 10 And Rescue 23 But Pirates Released.

GUARDIAN.UK/ 1ST UPDATE/    Despite a pledge to prosecute the 10 Somali pirates captured by Russian special forces after storming a  tanker highjacked by the pirates in the Indian Ocean and saving the $52 million in crude after a fierce gun battle, they have been released. The Russian defence ministry said that the captives had been disarmed and freed. A spokesman said the release was "connected to the imperfections in international law". But also suggested that the cost of prosecution and subsequent imprisonment was a factor. "Why should we feed some pirates?" he said.