Why are so few captured pirates brought to trial? Each year hundreds of ships are attacked by pirate gangs, many off the coast of Somalia. An international Combined Task Force now patrols the region and its ships regularly witness boarding raids and seize pirates, yet most are just released or returned to the Somali shore - probably to participate in further attacks. For Assignment, Simon Cox investigates the highly-charged political, social and legal issues which enable pirates to operate with relative impunity.