This evening, US Navy forces shot and killed three Somali pirates who had been holding the captain of the Maersk Alabama, Richard Phillips, for days. Phillips was reportedly unharmed and is safely aboard the USS Boxer. The Navy insists the pirates were killed after they decided Phillips’ life was in “imminent danger.”

Yet, accord to relatives of the pirates, they were out of ammo at the time of attack and were attempting to trade the captain’s life for their own freedom.”They were trying to save their own lives,” one insisted, “the only thing they could bargain with was the captain, but the Americans would not accept.”

The pirates had attempted to seize the Alabama on Wednesday, briefly gaining control of the ship before being fended off by the crew and escaping with the captain. Captain Phillips then spent the next several days on the lifeboat, trying to flee unsuccessfully on Friday. The pirates reportedly had demanded $2 million for the captain’s release.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz

• Homegrown US 'Terror Plots' Drop, But Nation Still 'On Edge' - February 9th, 2012
• Amputations Soared Among US Troops in 2011 - February 9th, 2012
• US Still Can't Find Missing Libyan Missiles - February 9th, 2012
• Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: Let Us Form Government - February 9th, 2012
• As Reports of Violence Grow in Syria, So Do Western Calls for Intervention - February 9th, 2012