[Arrissen]

I did a bit of research on international maritime law a few months ago and well it was slow going. There isn't really alot of clearly defined info out there that's easy to find. In general it seems that the international laws are one thing but when inside the terrtorial waters of a nation their laws need to be obeyed, so it starts to get tricky. Particularly with the issue of carrying weapons at sea on board a private vessel for ship board defence purposes, for example.

As for our apparently soft approach toward this incident, I suppose that by throwing their weapons over board, which means they can't use them again is something at least - we don't need them. And by releasing them I guess it says that we really don't rate them at all as a threat. If they had of resisted they would have been shot but they must have heard that the Australians were coming and so they just gave up! Makes sense to me. I mean sure throwing them over board would be a highly effective deterent, but by sending them home with a smack on the wrist and a care package, well they are the one's then IMO who are made to look really stupid, not to mention absolutely useless as pirates. After all if they are just going to board a ship and do nothing but baby sit the crew they may as well just stay home like the big girls they obviously are and do some knitting for UNICEF or something.