Spanish judge indicts 2 Somalis over hijacking of Spanish tuna trawler

Spain: judge indicts 2 suspected Somali pirates

MADRID — A Spanish judge has indicted two suspected Somali pirates captured in connection with the hijacking of a Spanish tuna trawler on Oct. 2 in the Indian Ocean.

Fellow pirates are still holding that ship and its crew of 36 just off the coast of Somalia. Besides a ransom, the hijackers are demanding the release of the two colleagues in custody in Madrid as a condition for freeing the vessel and the sailors.

Judge Santiago Pedraz issued the indictment Monday in response to an urgent request Saturday from prosecutors that he decide quickly whether to file charges, so as to speed up the case.

The idea is to resolve the status of the two in custody so the government can either expel them if they are convicted, or possibly have them serve their sentence in Somalia.