MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) - Eight men detained last week on suspicion of hijacking the Arctic Sea cargo ship have been arraigned on piracy and kidnapping charges, Russia's special investigations committee said on Thursday.
A committee spokesperson said one of the suspects had also been charged with organizing the crimes, but named no names.
The Arctic Sea is currently being towed to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Four crew members remain on board, while the other 11 were flown to Moscow to be questioned by the Russian authorities amid speculation that they may have been in cahoots with the alleged hijackers.
Last Friday, Moscow's Basmanny District Court remanded in custody eight unemployed men from Estonia in connection with the case. All eight deny accusations of piracy and hostage-taking.
A defense lawyer for two of the alleged hijackers formally appealed their arrest on Tuesday.
Some media reports have dismissed the hijacking theory as a plot to cover up a possible conspiracy, including arms smuggling.
Russia's chief investigator said on Tuesday allegations that the Arctic Sea may have been involved in illegal operations would be probed.
Press speculation over the mystery surrounding the Arctic Sea's disappearance has been rife, with some media outlets saying the Russian authorities are trying to cover up a smuggling or trafficking operation. Moscow-based columnist Yulia Latynina speculated that the vessel was secretly shipping arms via Algeria to a rogue state such as Iran or Syria.
Other reports have suggested that the Arctic Sea was hiding a second, smaller vessel while sailing off Sweden's eastern coast.
Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin has dismissed such allegations as "outlandish" and "ridiculous."
Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigations Committee at the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, said on Wednesday "we do not rule out that it may have carried more than just sawn timber."
The Maltese-flagged vessel, which had been missing in the Atlantic for more than two weeks, was discovered off Cape Verde last Monday by a Russian warship. It was freed without a shot being fired.
