Whale Boors: Sea Shepherd activist arrested

Japan may hold a de facto pirate trial as it begins with an arrest Sea Shepherd activist arrested:

The Japan Coast Guard on Friday arrested a member of U.S.-based antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for trespassing in connection with his boarding of a whaling fleet vessel in the Antarctic Ocean last month.
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The Japan Coast Guard obtained an arrest warrant for Bethune on Thursday.

It is the first time the JCG has been involved in a case of ship trespassing in international waters, according to the agency.

Tatsuro Shinjo, deputy director general of the Third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, said the coast guard decided to handle the arrest because Bethune does not reside in Japan and coast guard officials are to carry out the investigation.

Shinjo said that the captain of the Shonan Maru No. 2 did not make a citizens arrest of Bethune but held him under "protective custody." Earlier reports said Bethune ostensibly boarded the whaler to "arrest" its skipper after the ship hit his high-tech vessel the Ady Gil in the port bow, chopping it in two, in January. The boat sank shortly afterward.
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Paul Watson, the head of Sea Shepherd, told Kyodo News he thought it was "very strange . . . the aggrieved captain is the one who is going to be arrested."

"Pete Bethune was prepared for this, and he said let's go back to Japan, let's throw everything out on the table and clear this up," he said, speaking from Hobart, Tasmania, where the group's boats are currently docked.

More fun will be had if Mr. Watson tries to enter Japan to testify on Mr. Bethune's behalf.

Let's see how strongly Watson believes in the cause...

Somali Pirates: "My pirate son is just misunderstood"

A plea from the alleged Somali mother of the alleged young Somali pirate being held by the U.S. in connection with the attempted hijacking of the Maersk Alabama here. Not surprisingly, she wants her child turned loose:

The mother of a teenage alleged pirate held over the hostage-taking of a US sea captain this month has appealed to US President Barack Obama to free him.

Adar Abdurahman Hassan told the BBC her son, Abde Wale Abdul Kadhir Muse, was innocent and just 16 years old.
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Mrs Hassan told the BBC's Somali service: "I am requesting the American government, I am requesting President Obama to release my child. He has got nothing to do with the pirates' crime.

"He is a minor; he is under-age and he has been used for this crime. I also request from the US, if they choose to put him on trial, I want them to invite me there."

YHGTBFKM. And that's not even considering the issue of "innocence."

Why am I reminded of this?

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punks!

Gee, Officer Krupke, we're very upset;
We never had the love that ev'ry child oughta get.
We ain't no delinquents,
We're misunderstood.
Deep down inside us there is good!

There is good!

There is good, there is good,
There is untapped good!
Like inside, the worst of us is good!