‘Same Somali pirates hijacked two Samho ships’

The five Somali pirates who hijacked Samho Jewelry in the Arabian Sea last month and wounded its captain leaving him in a critical condition have participated in the abduction of another Korean vessel, Samho Dream, last April, prosecutors said Friday.

“Based on the telephone transaction records and others, we have concluded that they were also involved in the Samho Dream case. Some crew members of Samho Dream testified to have seen them on board,” said officers at the Busan Prosecutors’ Office as announcing their final report.

The seamen of Samho Dream were released on Nov.7. 217 days after the abduction. The company has reportedly paid $9.5 million for the release.

The prosecutors indicted Serum Abdullah, Ali Abdullah, Ali Abukad-Aeman, Brallat Aul and Arai Mahomed on charges of hijacking the 11,500-ton chemical freight vessel, Samho Jewelry, on Jan. 15 and shooting Captain Seok Hae-kyun on Jan. 21 when the Korean military commandos held a rescue operation. Eight pirates were killed while 21 crewmembers, including severely injured Seok, were rescued.

Based on the report by Ajou University Hospital and the National Forensic Service, it was evident that two bullets found in Seok’s body came from the AK assault rifles owned by the pirates. The officers said that some pieces of the 9x19mm Luger used by the Korean underwater demolition team also found in Seok’s body is seen to be a ricochet.

“The one (bullet) that threatened Seok’s life was by the AK rifle,” the prosecutors said.

The prosecutors have failed to extract a confession from the suspect. “But by simulation with computers, examination of the DNA on the rifles and testimonies from the witnesses, we have concluded that Arai Mahomed has shot Seok,” they said.

Questions remain on who orchestrated the piracy.

“Some said a man named Mahad Yusuf was their investors. But there are over 1,000 people in the Puntland region of Somalia engaged in piracy. Since the leader and the vice leader of the clan died, it is difficult to either verify or trace him,” the investigators said. “We think the kidnap was impulsive, after they have failed to hijack several others before,” they said.

The prosecution’s final report came after eight investigators interrogated the five pirates since Feb. 8.

The trial is expected to commence at the end of March at Busan District Court.

Meanwhile, Ajou Hospital said Thursday that Seok has regained consciousness for the first time in 17 days following surgery. The doctors said the consciousness is a rebound of the gradually reduced amount of sedatives given. “He can blink to express his opinion occasionally but he will still have to depend on an artificial respirator for a while. He also still needs medication,” a hospital official said.

The doctors said Seok has not fully regained his memory and that it will take some time for him to be able to testify about the scene of the accident.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)