CHANCES are you have never heard of Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse unless you've been following the piracy crisis off the coast of Somalia. Muse is the lone pirate that was apprehended – more accurately, he gave himself up – after the American crew of an aid ship was hijacked last week and their captain held for ransom. Muse is about to be tried for piracy in a New York court, the first time anyone has been tried for such an offense in the US for over a century. Muse originally seemed to think that made him a pretty big fish. He lavished in publicity, smiling and waving to TV cameras that followed him as he was transferred from holding spot to holding spot and in and out of courtrooms. He behaved as if he were on some kind of celebrity news show. The reality of his situation must have sunk in, however, as more recent photos show a more subdued suspect. He is going to face a number of charges in an American court, the most important of which carries a life sentence. Rather than a celebrity, Muse is about to learn that he may well earn a place in history books as the beginning of the end of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden piracy. This will be the first prosecution of anyone involved in the contemporary spate of piracy and that makes it extremely important. Until now, the pirates have acted with impunity, releasing ships and crews in the rare instances that they see fit or when massive ransoms are paid. As we have said before, the political and social chaos that prevails in Somalia makes any kind of diplomatic efforts useless. A martial approach is the only path left open to the civilized world to put a halt to the barbaric behavior of the Somali pirates. As for Muse, he should enjoy his 15 minutes of fame. It is about to turn to ignominy. __
