Washington ( CNN ) -- An alleged Somali pirate leader has been indicted for the takeover of the yacht Quest and the kidnapping of four Americans who subsequently were killed during the incident . Mohammad Saaili Shibin , 50 , appeared at a detention hearing in federal court in Norfolk , Virginia , on Wednesday afternoon after the indictment against him was unsealed . He will remain in federal custody . `` Today marks the first time that the U.S. government has captured and charged an alleged pirate in a leadership role -- a hostage negotiator who operated in Somalia , '' said U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride in a written statement . MacBride went on to say the arrest and charges against Shibin should `` send a strong message to all pirates that they are not beyond the reach of the FBI , whether they board the ships or remain on-shore in Somalia . '' According to the indictment , one of the alleged pirates aboard the Quest identified Shibin as the person who would negotiate the terms for the release of the four Americans . The document says Shibin did Internet research about the hostages on the Quest `` to determine the amount of ransom to demand and the identity of family members of the hostages whom he could contact about the ransom . '' An FBI official said Shibin was arrested in Somalia on April 4 by `` host nation security . '' FBI agents were at the scene of the arrest , though law enforcement officials would not provide details beyond that the FBI worked with Somali forces on the ground . Shibin and 14 co-conspirators are charged with piracy , conspiracy to commit kidnapping and possession and use of a firearm during a crime of violence . The men are scheduled to go on trial November 29 and they face a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted . The U.S. military and an FBI negotiator had been trying to win the safe release of the hostages aboard the Quest . The February hijacking off the coast of Oman ended when some of the pirates on the yacht allegedly shot and killed Americans Scott and Jean Adam , Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle .
Four Americans died during the hijacking of a yacht in February . The U.S. Navy said it was investigating whether any other American citizens were on board when they were taken hostage by Somali pirates. A prosecutor says the indictment marks the first U.S. prosecution of a pirate leader .