(CNN) -- A Somali pirate who prosecutors say led the attack on a U.S. vessel off the coast of Africa last year will be sentenced Tuesday.
Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has pleaded guilty to charges he hijacked the ship and kidnapped its captain.
Prosecutors say Muse acted as the ringleader when he and three other men seized the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama by force about 350 miles off the coast of Somalia on April 8, 2009.
Once on board, the armed men demanded the ship be stopped, then took a life boat and held the captain of the ship, Richard Phillips, hostage on it.
During his plea on May 18, Muse apologized for his actions and blamed the incident on the Somali government.
"What we did was wrong. I am very sorry for all of this," Muse said in a soft voice. "All of this happened because of the government in Somalia," he added.
In addition to the Maersk Alabama, Muse was charged with participating in the hijacking of two other vessels in late March and early April of 2009. Muse told the court that he and the three other men agreed to "capture any ship that came by". He added that he did not recognize the U.S. flag on the Maersk Alabama.
Muse and his cohorts held Philips hostage for four days on the life boat. The USS Bainbridge, a U.S. Navy destroyer, came to the assistance of the vessel, and in radio communications, the pirates threatened to kill Phillips if they were not guaranteed safe passage away from the scene, authorities have said.
CNN
