NORFOLK
Two groups of Somalis were arraigned on a new indictment that added more assault and related counts to piracy charges lodged earlier this year in connection with separate attacks on Navy ships off the coast of Somalia.
Five Somalis face charges in the April 1 attack on the Nicholas, a Norfolk-based frigate. An additional six Somalis were charged in the April 10 attack on the Ashland, a Little Creek-based amphibious dock landing ship.
All but one appeared Wednesday with their lawyers before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller, who set an Oct. 19 trial date for the six charged in the Ashland attack and a Nov. 9 date for the others.
Nearly every one was defiant when Miller asked whether they would plead guilty or not guilty.
"I did not commit any crime. This is an injustice," suspect Maxamad Cali Saciid told the judge through an interpreter.
"You don't plead guilty to something you did not do," said another suspect, Abdi Mohammed Umar.
"I did not commit a crime," Abdi Mohammed Gurewardher said. "I did not do anything."
"I'll accept that as a not guilty plea," Miller said.
The group of suspects in the Ashland attack will return to court this morning for a hearing on motions to dismiss the case. The other group has a similar hearing in September.
All remain detained in a local jail.
One defendant in the Nicholas attack did not appear in court Wednesday because his attorney, David Bouch-ard, alerted the court that he is stuck at sea trying to cross the Atlantic in a sailboat.
Tim McGlone, (757) 446-2343, [email protected]