Two Somali men sentenced to 30 years for kidnapping of American journalist
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SUMMARY
Two Somali nationals, Abdi Yusuf Hassan and Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed, have been sentenced to 30 years in prison for their involvement in the 2012 kidnapping of American journalist Michael Scott Moore. While in Somalia researching piracy near Galkayo, Moore was abducted by Somali pirates and held captive for 977 days, during which he endured beatings, chains, and frequent relocations, including confinement on a ship. His release was eventually secured in late 2014 after a ransom was paid. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated that Hassan and Mohamed exploited their government roles—Hassan as a senior security official and Mohamed as an army officer—to profit from Moore’s captivity. Extradited to the U.S. under special legal arrangements, the two men faced charges for hostage-taking, terrorism, and firearms offenses. Moore testified that Mohamed treated him kindly, appealing for leniency, but both men were still sentenced to 30 years due to their roles in facilitating the abduction.
