France hands over 11 suspected Somali pirates to Kenya for investigation

French hand over 11 suspected pirates to Kenya

PARIS — A government official says France has handed over 11 Somali piracy suspects to Kenya for a judicial investigation and possible trial.

It is the second time France has turned piracy suspects over to Kenya for prosecution.

Defense Ministry Cmdr. Christophe Prazuck says the French Navy frigate Nivose transferred the suspects to Kenyan authorities in the port of Mombasa on Friday, after intercepting the suspects May 3 off Somalia’s coast.

The 11 suspects had been traveling with a pirate mothership — used to tow speed boats to sea and resupply them.

France has aggressively tracked pirates, and last month handed 11 others to Kenya. Fifteen suspects are being prosecuted in France after allegedly seizing French nationals’ boats.