Pact Is Near for Pirate Trials, U.S. Admiral Says

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Captured Somali pirates could soon face trials and serve jail sentences outside their homeland under a pact being negotiated between American officials and regional allies, the head of a new U.S. anti-piracy task force said Friday.
The lack of an international framework to bring pirates to justice is among the many frustrations for naval forces struggling to curb rising attacks on merchant vessels off lawless Somalia, where pirates launched more than 100 assaults on ships last year and took away millions of dollars in ransom.
Rear Adm. Terence McKnight told The Associated Press an accord could be reached within weeks to clear the way for piracy trials and imprisonment in countries ''in the region.'' He declined, however, to name the nations possibly willing to hold the trials.more..http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/23/world/AP-Piracy.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss