Pirate leader ‘Big Mouth’ arrested in Brussels

One of Somalia’s most notorious pirate leaders, known as “Big Mouth”, has been arrested in Brussels and placed in custody pending charges, judicial sources said.

Mohamed Abdi Hassan, known as “Afweyne” or “Big Mouth”, was being held in Bruges after being detained at Brussels airport on Saturday on disembarking from a flight from Nairobi.

Afweyne announced in Mogadishu in January that he was quitting piracy after a highly profitable eight-year career. He said he was working to persuade other pirates to do the same.