Rennes, France - French police were questioning on Wednesday three Somali pirates who were brought to France after being captured by commandos during a hostage rescue operation in the Indian Ocean.
French special forces captured the trio on April 10 when they stormed the yacht Tanit to rescue its French crew from hostage takers. Two pirates and the boat's French captain were killed during the rescue.
France has promised to take a tough line on pirates caught by its forces in the waters off East Africa, scene of a rash of recent attacks on shipping.
State prosecutors in the western French city of Rennes said the Somali gunmen were being interrogated by police intelligence officers. Defence Minister Herve Morin said on Tuesday they would face trial in France.
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The body of the dead skipper, 28-year-old Florent Lemacon, has also arrived in Rennes, where it is due to undergo a post mortem examination on Thursday. The prosecutors office said results would be released on Friday.
It is not yet clear whether Lemacon was shot dead accidentally by the French rescue team or executed by his captors.
Four other hostages, including Lemacon's three-year-old son, were rescued, just days before a similar American operation to free a cargo ship's captain.
On Monday, the French navy handed the bodies of the two pirates shot dead by snipers during the assault to authorities in Somalia's Puntland region. - AFP
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