SNCC says Israeli forces intercept nine aid vessels carrying 16 Malaysians near Cyprus

“SEPANG, May 19 — The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that nine vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), carrying 16 Malaysians, were intercepted by the Israeli forces as of 8 pm Malaysian time. SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the vessels were approached aggressively by the forces in international waters near Cyprus. “When the incident occurred, the flotilla was about 241 nautical miles from the Gaza coast, in international waters recognised under international maritime law as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and outside any country’s blockade,” he told a press conference here yesterday. The 16 Malaysians are Zainal Rashid Ahmad, who was on board the Amanda; Muhamad Muhsin Zaidi (Isobella); Mohammad Shazly Mohammad Shees and Tengku Ahmad Taufik Tengku Noor Zahari (Cactus); S. Patmanathan, Muhammad Amirul Afif Mohd Azhar and Dr Syakirin Muhamed Senin (Ferluto). Abdul Samad Selamat and Naufa Azhari (Bianca ITA); Mohammad Farizzal Rostam and Muhammad Zaid Abdul Karim (Gotico); Norazman Ishak (Abodes); Hazwan Hazim Dermawan, Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa and Osman Zolkifli (Themis); as well as Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman (Josef). Sani Araby said SNCC had informed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and requested the Malaysian government’s intervention to urge the European Union, Türkiye, Spain and other parties to take action and condemn the attack on the humanitarian mission. Meanwhile, he said the GSF detainees are expected to be placed in a ‘floating prison’ before being taken to port of Ashdod for documentation and deportation. “The prison ship is a naval vessel capable of accommodating many people and is used as a detention facility,” he said. He added that the use of such a vessel is a tactic by Israel to detain GSF activists for a longer period and to avoid international legal pressure. “I expect they will be taken to the detention vessel. If they are taken directly to Ashdod, they would be subject to new laws requiring detainees to be released within 24 hours,” he said. — Bernama

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