Piracy in Somalia: A Legal Analysis Concerning the Prosecution of Pirate Negotiators and Pirate Facilitators under the Current US and International Framework

Piracy off the coast of Somalia remains an issue with implications for the international community generally and for the Somali government specifically. Regardless of its genesis, piracy off the coast of Somalia “has in essence become an organized, lucrative and attractive criminal activity undertaken for heinous ends.” Although the number of people being held hostage by pirates is in constant flux, the piracy problem implicates several enduring issues: the protection of human lives, the maintenance of channels for international commerce, and continuing respect for Somali territorial waters.