On 30th November an Italian court sentenced the nine Somali men on trial in Rome to between 16
and 19 years in prison for attempted kidnapping for extortion and illegal possession of firearms. But the charges of terrorism were not held. The prosecution were unable to prove any links with terrorism.
In 2011 the men had allegedly attempted to hijack an Italian-flagged cargo
ship. The four teenagers arrested at the same time were tried separately as juveniles and sentenced in June to eight years in prison each.
Another trial in Italy is set to begin this week. This one is against eleven men arrested in January this year - these men were not charged with terrorism.
