The 1,444-teu ship (built 1995), operatedby Winter Reederei, suffered an attempted hijack in the Gulf of Aden, but theGerman navy apprehended the gunmen.
Court documents named eight of the pirates as MohaamudMohammed Hashi alias Dhodi, Mohammed Ali Awa-Dahir, Mohammed Dogol Ali,Abdiwahid Mohammed Osman, Abduliani Omar, Abdirahman Mohammed Caser, KhadarMohammed and Mohammed Cifer Ismail.
Mombasa chief magistrate Stephen Riech said: "Thesole aim of suspects carrying weapons at the high seas was to terrorize thecrew, so I hereby find them guilty as charged and commit them accordingly,"All Africa Global Media reported.
They had all denied the charges and claimed that theywere fishing at the time of their arrest.
They will be repatriated to Somalia after their jailterms end.
A prosecution witness said the pirates were armed withthree AK-47 rifles, a pistol, rocket propelled grenades and other weapons.
