Suspected sabotage of Freedom Flotilla 2 ship’s engine & Jordanian lifeline to Gaza

Suspected Israeli agents try to sabotage Freedom Flotilla II ship’s engine

ATHENS, (PIC)– A group suspected of being linked with the Israeli foreign intelligence agency the Mossad was reported to have tried to thwart the sailing of a Greek ship slated to join the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla II due to set sail sometime next week.

The elements tried to sabotage the ship’s engine, but a crew discovered the men while checking the equipment, Quds Press said, quoting sources from the flotilla’s organizing body, on Saturday. The sources added that the men fled the scene.

Since the incident, participants have been taking turns watching guard in anticipation of another shot at foiling the mission to deliver much needed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The flotilla, which will include some 15 ships and hundreds of notable passengers, has insisted on heading for the Strip despite Israel’s open threats to use military force to stop the ships short before landing at the said destination.

Meanwhile, the European campaign to end the siege on Gaza, one of the largest organizers of the flotilla, has announced that the first ship to join the flotilla has departed from France.

The ship, titled “Dignity”, has left the Corsica seaport in France and is on her way to the point where the rest of the ships will take off, said ECESG member Mazen Kahil in a press statement. He added that the ship will join another French ship docked in Greece.

He also announced that technical problems on some of the ships could cause delays in the scheduled departure of next week.

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Jordanian lifeline buys vessel to carry activists to Gaza

AMMAN, (PIC)– Wael Al-Saqa, the head of the Jordanian lifeline committee, has announced the purchase of a small ship to the tune of 560000 Euros to carry Jordanian activists to the Gaza Strip as part of the Freedom Flotilla II.

Saqa said, in a press release on Saturday, that the ship would carry 35 Jordanians out of 70 activists from five Arab countries, adding that the ship was registered as “Noor” company.

He said that the ship, which can accommodate up to 200 passengers, would be one of eight ships that compose the Freedom Flotilla II.

He said that 10% of its price was paid and that the council of Jordanian syndicates is to meet on Monday to decide on payment of the remaining 90%.

Saqa said he would attend a meeting for the international committee to end the siege on Gaza on Sunday in Turkey to discuss final preparations for the fleet, scheduled to set sail by the end of June, and names of solidarity activists who would take part in it.

The conferees would also discuss the international stands regarding the humanitarian fleet, he said, noting that the Zionist lobby in Europe was trying to pressure European governments to ban their nationals from participating in the fleet .