Madrid – Spanish judge Fernando Andreu on Friday ordered the release of seven suspected Somali pirates who had been captured by a Spanish vessel, after ordering their imprisonment the previous day. Andreu said he was cancelling his order because prosecutors had withdrawn the charges against the suspects.

 

The prosecutors recommended that the seven be handed over to Kenya for judicial proceedings on the basis of an agreement between the European Union and the East African country on suspected pirates.

 

Andreu, however, rejected that recommendation, saying it was clear that the case came under Spanish jurisdiction.

 

The suspects were captured on Wednesday by the military tanker Marques de la Ensenada, which is participating in European Union patrols against pirates in the Indian Ocean.

 

Its crew rescued and arrested the Somalis, who had fallen into the water after their boat capsized when they were trying to enter a Panama-flagged vessel.

 

On the same day, the Marques de la Ensenada prevented another attack against a Malta-flagged freighter, detaining the seven attackers.

 

Senior official Diego Lopez Garrido said the 14 were being taken to Djibouti and that it would be seen what would be done with them.

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