Three Somalis plead guilty to pirate attack resulting in murder

Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali, a.k.a Sanadaaq, 32; Mohamud Salad Ali, a.k.a Juguuf, 35; and Ali Abdi Mohamed, a.k.a Basher, 30, all of Somalia, pled guilty to acts of piracy and hostage-taking against the S/V Quest, which resulted in the murder of United States citizens Scott Underwood Adam, Jean Savage Adam, Phyllis Patricia Macay, and Robert Campbell Riggle.

Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali and Mohamud Salad Ali, both of whom acknowledged in connection with their pleas that they served as leaders of the piracy operation, pled guilty to piracy under the law of nations and hostage-taking resulting in death. The charges each carry a mandatory life sentence.

Ali Abdi Mohamed, who acknowledged in connection with his plea that he fired a rocket propelled grenade in the course of the crime, pled guilty to piracy under the law of nations. The charge carries a mandatory life sentence.

All three defendants warranted in their plea agreements that they played no role in the murder of the four United States citizens.

Sentencing for Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali is scheduled for September 6, 2011. Mohamud Salad Ali is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18, 2011, and sentencing for Ali Abdi Mohamed is scheduled for August 22, 2011.

The investigation of the case is being conducted by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Source: FBI