Somali pirate from MN sentenced for journalist abduction

MINNESOTA SOMALI PIRATE SENTENCED FOR ABDUCTION

An American journalist named Michael Moore was held hostage for almost three years by Somali pirates; one of which calls Minnesota Home.

The Somali pirate from Minnesota has been sentenced to federal prison. 56-year-old Abdi Jusus Hassan from Minneapolis now will be serving a 30-year sentence for his part in the hostage case. He is a naturalized US citizen living in Minneapolis.

Michael Moore was finally released when his mother paid a ransom. By the time he had been released in 2014, he had been held for 977 days.

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HEFTY RANSOM

Hassan kidnapped Moore while he was in Somalia in 2012. He was held on a highjacked boat,and according to the reporter, he was chained up every single night, and shuffled around different safe houses in Somalia. He was always surrounded by armed guards during his capture.

Moore's mother eventually was able to pay the ransom of 1 and 1/2 million dollars in September of 2014, which led to Michael finally being released.

SENTENCING

The other Somali pirate was 43-year-old Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed. The two pirates were convicted of taking Michael hostage, terrorism, as well as firearm offenses after a trial that lasted 3 weeks in February. The article said the men used their positions of power to play 'significant roles' in the capture of Michael Moore.

Many people are asking why Michael was in Somalia in the first place. Court documents say that Michael was there to research piracy and the economy in January 2012. He was driving when a group of armed men surrounded his vehicle and then beat him before abducting him.

Hasson was serving as a minister of the interior and was in charge of police and security forces in the area where Michael Moore was being held hostage. Hasson was the one serving as the overall leader and was in charge of getting the ransom payment from Michael's mother.

Mohamed was serving as an officer in the Somali army and was the supervisor of the pirates that guarded Moore. You can watch the video below about the capture of these two men and their sentence.

Fox 9 News/YouTube