From the Christian Science Monitor:
A 2006 report by Evan Kohlmann, an author and consultant who closely tracks the propaganda efforts of Al Qaeda and other jihadi groups, linked IHH to fundraising for jihadis headed to Bosnia , Chechnya and Afghanistan . In a posting today at the Counterterrorism Blog, Kohlmann says the Turkish government unearthed weapons, explosives, and bombmaking instructions in a 1997 raid. IHH denies that such a raid took place. Mr. Kohlmann's paper cites a French intelligence report that alleged the group made phone calls to an Al Qaeda boarding house in Milan and Algerian militants in Europe .
In a Seattle trial, one of the authors of the French report, counterterrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere said that IHH had played an "important role" in the Al Qaeda Millenium bomb plot targeting LAX, Los Angeles 's main airport.
The IHH is an NGO, but it was kind of a type of cover-up ... in order to obtain forged documents and also to obtain different forms of infiltration for Mujahi- deen in combat. And also to go and gather[recruit] these Mujahideens.
Posted via web from noahdavidsimon's posterous
Israel Army Radio says at least 16 members of the convoy were killed and more than 30 injured when troops boarded the flotilla. The assault took place in international waters, 65 kilometres (40 miles) off the Gazan coast.
The attack by armed Israeli soldiers was accompanied by helicopters. Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, on board one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops used live ammunition.
The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) is a so-called "relief" organization from Turkey and one of those NGO's that functions as a "charitable" organization and the IHH is very proud of its close ties to the terror organization Hamas. Turkey plays its own very supportive role in relation to these so-called "justice boats" - some of the flotilla activists are identified with terrorist Muslim groups.
"In a working paper for The Danish Institute for International Studies, an independent international affairs research institution of Denmark, terrorism analyst and expert witness for the prosecution in U.S. terrorism trials, Evan Kohlmann details IHH's extensive affiliation with the Islamic terror network, including: explicit ties to Hamas, al-Qaida, as well other militant Islamic organizations based in Algeria, Libya, Turkey."
Israel Army Radio says at least 16 members of the convoy were killed and more than 30 injured when troops boarded the flotilla. The assault took place in international waters, 65 kilometres (40 miles) off the Gazan coast.
The attack by armed Israeli soldiers was accompanied by helicopters. Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, on board one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops used live ammunition.
According to the Telegrpah, UK Israeli warships have attacked at least one of the six ships ; carrying pro-Hamas activists trying to breach Israeli sovereignty, killing
The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) is a so-called "relief" organization from Turkey and one of those NGO's that functions as a "charitable" organization and the IHH is very proud of its close ties to the terror organization Hamas. Turkey plays its own very supportive role in relation to these so-called "justice boats" - some of the flotilla activists are identified with terrorist Muslim groups.
"In a working paper for The Danish Institute for International Studies, an independent international affairs research institution of Denmark, terrorism analyst and expert witness for the prosecution in U.S. terrorism trials, Evan Kohlmann details IHH's extensive affiliation with the Islamic terror network, including: explicit ties to Hamas, al-Qaida, as well other militant Islamic organizations based in Algeria, Libya, Turkey."
Unfortunately, this is becoming another PR nightmare for Israel, who we believe should have threatened these Hamas sympathizers all along. Let this be a message to any "peace activists" who try to aid and abet the enemies of the Jewish people and Israel.
via thejidf.org
The aftershocks of the Israeli boarding of the Gaza-bound flotilla are being felt in Israel and abroad:
The aftershocks of the Israeli boarding of the Gaza-bound flotilla are being felt in Israel and abroad:
In Canada, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who there for a state visit, is receiving updates on the incident despite the fact that it is late night time there. He is in consultation with the heads of Israel's security establishment and is expected to deliver a response to the situation in the coming hours. He spoke with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who held an emergency meeting with the IDF Chief of Staff, General Gabi Ashkenazi. Also, Barak spoke with the head of the Shin Bet, Yuval Diskin, and the Turkish Secretary of Defense, Foreign Minister, and Ambassador in Israel.
In Istanbul, Turkey, hundreds of people are protesting Israel's Gaza flotilla operation outside Israel's consulate. Israel's ambassador to Turkey has been summoned for a rebuke by Turkey's foreign ministry, which blames Israel for the incident, calling it, "an unprecedented criminal act which has sent Israel-Turkey relations into a tailspin."
In Israel, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon will hold a press conference at 10:30 AM in Jerusalem on the flotilla operation. Opposition leader, Tzippi Livni, has offered to assist the government in its PR efforts.
Security forces and Magen David Adom are preparing for possible violence across Israel due to the IDF flotilla operation. In Gaza, Hamas terrorists are calling on Arabs to take to the streets and to, "take revenge on Israel." The country is on its highest alert. Israeli Arab MK Taleb A-Sanaa issued a press release Monday in which he called IDF soldiers “Nazis” for stopping the pro-Gaza flotilla. PA Chairman Machmoud Abbas as announced three days of mourning for the Flotilla "victims".
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is convening an emergency meeting in Jerusalem on the flotilla operation. The Foreign ministry may call for Israelis in Turkey to leave the country, and for other Israelis to cancel their travel plans to Turkey, due to the risk of violence. Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Gal will hold a briefing for Israel's foreign ambassadors at noon today. Israel plans to demand that Turkey take responsibility for its citizens who are on Israeli ground.
0715 GMT: The “Lynching” of the Commandos. Israeli military spokeswoman Liebovich responds to a question:
“If you have one soldier and you have a dozen activists attacking that soldier, this is a lynch. When the passengers on this ship are trying to break the soldier’s legs and arms, this is what I call a lynch. This is what happened….We had no intention to confront these passengers.”
(Liebovich adds that she is “sure” the flotilla’s passengers were not human rights activists but were connected with Hamas.)
Readers may compare this “lynch” to the live images aboard the ship when the commandos landed, currently being re-broadcast in the LiveFeed.
0710 GMT: The Israeli Propaganda Push. With communications with the aid ships cut off (CNN rather hopelessly is using vague reports from a correspondent in Cairo and then saying, “We have been unable to contact anyone in the flotilla”), Israeli authorities are trying to fill the space with their case.
Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman Amital Liebovich has given a press briefing that Israeli commandos faced “severe violence” — a “lynch” — by the flotilla’s passengers with “sharp items” and “knives”: “Live fire was used.”
Liebovich says six Israeli commandos were injured “as well as” 10 passengers killed.
Liebovich insists, “There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza” and adds, “The passengers of this flotilla…prepared themselves for violence against their soldiers.”
Liebovich’s press conference is complemented by this Israeli military statement: “During the takeover, the soldiers encountered serious physical violence by the protesters, who attacked them with live fire.” The “lynch” theme had already appeared, before the briefing, in The Jerusalem Post.
Gaza LiveFeed: Israel Warships Attack “Freedom Flotilla”0644 GMT: The Israeli Line (cont.). The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pushing a film clip of the Israeli military issuing a warning to the Freedom Flotilla before boarding the Mavi Marmara: “The Israeli government supports delivery of humanitarian supplies to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and invites you to enter the Ashdod port.”
Gaza Latest & Video: The “Freedom Flotilla” Sails
I’ve already seen the clip on Al Jazeera English.
0642 GMT: Contrary to other reports, Israel authorities say the flotilla ships will be towed to the port of Ashdod.
0640 GMT: Political Reaction. Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas has asked the Palestinian Authority to suspend all negotiations — direct or indirect — with Israel.
0635 GMT: Israeli Army says four Israeli naval commandos were injured: 1 seriously, 1 moderately, 2 lightly. It claims “light ammunition” was coming from flotilla ships so their troops “fought back”.
0625 GMT: The last blog entry from Abbas Al Lawati from the attacked ships:
I’ve just heard that Israel is expected send divers to take control of vessels from below.
There were reports of helicopters flying overhead a little while ago but it turns out it was a flase alarm. There was, however, a flashing light hovering above one of the challenger ships. It could be a helicopter, possibly commandos. The Mavi Marmara is massive so I doubt commandos will approach us but both Challengers are just small passenger boats.
0615 GMT: The Israeli Line. David Saranga of the Israeli Consulate in New York gives an early indication of how West Jerusalem will defend the military operation, despite the 16 deaths.
Saranga lifts this line from London’s Daily Telegraph, in an article on the Israeli attack: “Marine commandos had opened fire after being attacked with axes and knives by a number of the passengers on board the ships, the [Israeli] private channel 10 said.”
(Minutes later, Saranga points readers to a page, “The Jewish Internet Defense Force“, which recycles the line about axes/knives.)
In Israel, police have declared a heightened state of emergency, deploying thousands of forces around the country. A crowd in the Israeli port of Ashdod have been heckling the crew of Al Jazeera Arabic.
0605 GMT: The Turkish Government has condemned the Israeli attack. A crowd of demonstrators have surrounded the house of the Israeli Ambassador and asked him to leave the country.
The ship attacked this morning, the Mavi Marmara, is Turkish-registered.
0603 GMT: The Israeli attack was on the Mavi Marmara, one of the six ships in the flotilla. In a report from the ship just before communications were cut during the raid, Jamal Elshayyal of Al Jazeera said two people had been killed and organisers were ordering passengers to go inside the ship’s cabin. The ship’s white flag had been raised.
Sounds of live fire could be heard as Elshayyal reported, despite the raising of the flag of surrender.
0600 GMT: We are continuing the live feed from Turkish outlets of the Freedom Flotilla. Warning: images may be distressing.
0545 GMT: We wake this morning to find that overnight Israeli forces have attacked the six ships of the “Freedom Flotilla” carrying aid to Gaza.
Israel Army Radio says at least 16 members of the convoy were killed and more than 30 injured when troops boarded the flotilla. The assault took place in international waters, 65 kilometres (40 miles) off the Gazan coast.
The attack by armed Israeli soldiers was accompanied by helicopters. Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal, on board one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops used live ammunition.
Israeli Army Radio said soldiers opened fire “after confronting those on board carrying sharp objects”.
The Free Gaza Movement, the organisers of the flotilla, say the ships are now being towed to the Israeli town of Haifa, instead of the port of Ashdod, where Israel said members of the flotilla would be held in detention. The Movement claims the step is to avoid waiting journalists.
As Al Jazeera English tries to assess the Israeli military’s press conference, members of the crowd in Ashdod stand behind the reporter with a large Israeli flag.
0720 GMT: Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has declared three days of mourning for those killed in the Freedom Flotilla.
