ID :
125637
Wed, 06/02/2010 - 14:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/125637
The shortlink copeid
GAZA ACTIVISTS IMPRISONED BY ISRAEL SET TO RETURN TO TURKEY
TEL AVIV (A.A) - 02.06.2010 - All activists -- many of them Turkish nationals -- who were captured and imprisoned by Israel after a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, are set to return to Turkey later on Wednesday.
Turkey has sent earlier three ambulance aircraft and three airplanes to Ben Gurion Airport to bring the activists back to Turkey. The three jets of the Turkish Airlines (THY) carrying the activists took off for Israel.
More than 520 activists majority of whom were detained in the "Ela" prison in Beersheba are expected to return to Turkey during the day.
Officials said the seriously wounded who are in intensive care in Israeli hospitals may remain there for treatment.
Israeli naval forces stormed a convoy of ships of Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, killing at least 9 people and injuring 30 others on Monday.
Turkey strongly protested Israel and recalled its ambassador.
Four of the nine people who died in Israeli forces' attack on Gaza-bound aid flotilla were Turkish citizens.
Israel announced last night that it decided to deport all detained activists.
Meanwhile some of the Turkish nationals who were taken into custody and later deported by Israel returned to Turkey.
Three of the Turkish nationals who were taken into custody on board the Gaza-1 ship arrived in Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. The 2nd engineer of the ship, Omer Nadi Dincer, cook Adnan Tanriverdi and IHH staff member Salih Bulga were welcomed by their family members.
Bulga told reporters that Israeli officials made him sign a document in Hebrew that he did not understand.
"They kept us under custody for 9 hours. We were surrounded by soldiers and a female officer. Eating, drinking water and going to the toilet were restricted. We were accompanied by two soldiers at all times," said Bulga.
Another Turkish citizen Yucel Kose, who was also taken into custody on the same ship, arrived in the Konya airport.
Kose told reporters that during deportation he was forced to sign a document in Hebrew he did not understand.
"Those signatures are not valid. The document was in Hebrew, and we signed it under pressure," said Kose.
He said they were not given water or food until they got on the Turkish planes.
Swedish parliamentarian of Turkish descent Mehmet Kaplan who was also taken into custody by Israeli soldiers after the raid also returned to his country.
Kaplan who spoke to reporters in Stockholm airport said the ships were in international waters when Israel intervened and that there were no arms on board the ships.
He said he was detained for two days until he was released and he was deported on Wednesday.
Turkey has sent earlier three ambulance aircraft and three airplanes to Ben Gurion Airport to bring the activists back to Turkey. The three jets of the Turkish Airlines (THY) carrying the activists took off for Israel.
More than 520 activists majority of whom were detained in the "Ela" prison in Beersheba are expected to return to Turkey during the day.
Officials said the seriously wounded who are in intensive care in Israeli hospitals may remain there for treatment.
Israeli naval forces stormed a convoy of ships of Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, killing at least 9 people and injuring 30 others on Monday.
Turkey strongly protested Israel and recalled its ambassador.
Four of the nine people who died in Israeli forces' attack on Gaza-bound aid flotilla were Turkish citizens.
Israel announced last night that it decided to deport all detained activists.
Meanwhile some of the Turkish nationals who were taken into custody and later deported by Israel returned to Turkey.
Three of the Turkish nationals who were taken into custody on board the Gaza-1 ship arrived in Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. The 2nd engineer of the ship, Omer Nadi Dincer, cook Adnan Tanriverdi and IHH staff member Salih Bulga were welcomed by their family members.
Bulga told reporters that Israeli officials made him sign a document in Hebrew that he did not understand.
"They kept us under custody for 9 hours. We were surrounded by soldiers and a female officer. Eating, drinking water and going to the toilet were restricted. We were accompanied by two soldiers at all times," said Bulga.
Another Turkish citizen Yucel Kose, who was also taken into custody on the same ship, arrived in the Konya airport.
Kose told reporters that during deportation he was forced to sign a document in Hebrew he did not understand.
"Those signatures are not valid. The document was in Hebrew, and we signed it under pressure," said Kose.
He said they were not given water or food until they got on the Turkish planes.
Swedish parliamentarian of Turkish descent Mehmet Kaplan who was also taken into custody by Israeli soldiers after the raid also returned to his country.
Kaplan who spoke to reporters in Stockholm airport said the ships were in international waters when Israel intervened and that there were no arms on board the ships.
He said he was detained for two days until he was released and he was deported on Wednesday.
