A Denmark court extended a Danish navy vessel’s detention of four pirates off the coast of West Africa, after the deadly gunfight at sea last month.
According to Birgitte Skjodt, a lawyer representing one of the four men, the judge extended their detention by 14 days.
The prosecution team also wants to bring the suspects to Denmark, but Denmark has not signed any extradition agreement with countries around the Gulf of Guinea.
On the other hand, Birgitte Skjodt said that the men had been acting in self-defence, and that they were sitting in a little boat and felt attacked..
The men were detained after a clash with the Danish navy in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Nigeria on November 24.
As a result, four were killed in the exchanges, while another pirate fell overboard.
After their boat sank, the pirates were brought on board the Danish navy ship, where one of them had to have a leg amputated.
Denmark claims that it all started when the frigate Esbern Snare, which has been patrolling the area since early November, attempted to board the pirate boat. The Danish forces and the pirates exchanged gunfire, with the Danish prosecutors accusing the pirates of firing the first shot, and are now seeking to press charges over them attacking Danish soldiers.
