Madrid - Spanish experts were Wednesday expecting long and difficult negotiations in attempts to release the 36 crew members of the Spanish fishing vessel Alakrana, which was seized by Somali pirates on October 2. The only way to free the crew was paying a large ransom, the daily El Mundo quoted experts as saying. The Spanish government, however, has said it does not intend to pay a ransom.
Two of the 13 suspected pirates were detained by a Spanish frigate participating in the European Union's anti-piracy Operation Atalanta when they left the Alakrana on board a skiff two days after the hijacking.
Cabdiweli Cabdullahi, alias Abdou Willy, and Raagegeesey Hassan Haji were flown to Spain, where National Court investigating judge Baltasar Garzon questioned them on Tuesday.
The pirate organization the two worked for had paid them 2,500 dollars each for helping to seize the Alakrana, Garzon said on confirming that they must be remanded in custody.
The suspects, however, have said they were only fishermen whom the pirates paid for towing their vessels.
Raagegeesey Hassan Haji was interrogated at a Madrid hospital where he was being treated for a slight bullet wound after Spanish marines fired at him while he was being captured. The government says the marines were responding to a threatening gesture.
The pirates have set the release of their two comrades as one of the conditions for freeing the fishermen, who include 16 Spaniards, as well as Asians and Africans.
