Attorney for accused Somali pirate seeks to shift trial out of Virginia Navy town

Piracy suspect seeks to move Va. trial

RICHMOND, Va. — One of 11 Somali nationals accused of attacking U.S. Navy ships off the coast of Africa is seeking to have his trial moved out of Norfolk, Va., home to the world’s largest naval base.

An attorney for Mohammed Jamah filed the request for a change of venue on Wednesday in U.S. District Court. The motion contends a trial miles from Naval Station Norfolk “precludes the selection of a fair and impartial jury.”

In a separate filing, an attorney for another of the accused pirates asked that several charges be dismissed for lack of evidence.

Jamah is among six Somali men accused in April 10 attack on the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland about 380 miles of Djibouti, a small nation facing Yemen across the mouth of the Red Sea.