US warship comes to rescue of migrants off Malta

[October 17, 2013]  VALLETTA, Malta (AP) -- The American warship where an al-Qaida suspect was interrogated after being snatched from Libya by U.S. special forces has come to the rescue of 120 Somali migrants.

A statement Thursday from the Maltese army says it asked the USS San Antonio to intervene Wednesday because it was close to the migrants' dinghy. The Somalis were having trouble in rough seas and high winds some 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Malta and are now heading to the Mediterranean island.

Libyan terror suspect Abu Anas al-Libi, also known as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, was captured during a military raid in Libya on Oct. 5 and questioned for a week aboard the San Antonio before being transferred to the U.S. He is due to stand trial on terror charges in New York City.

[Associated Press]

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