http://kenokeefe.wordpress.com/ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=125051327525642 The Guardian
Gaza aid convoy Britons held on Greek captain's ship At least six Britons and the leaders of an aid convoy heading for Gaza have been forcibly taken into Greek waters in a shipping dispute that has turned into an international naval incident. The activists were on board a Maltese-flagged cargo vessel that forced its way out of the Libyan port of Derna yesterday before it could be fully loaded and headed for Greece, rather than the Palestinian territories, pursued by the Libyan navy. The rest of the Road to Hope convoy, which includes around 40 other Britons, and up to £8m in supplies for the people of Gaza, remains in Derna in the hope that it can board a second ship tomorrow. The Egyptian authorities have closed the land border crossing, forcing the convoy to go by sea to the Egyptian port of al-Arish, from where the supplies can be driven over the border to Gaza. The aid convoy hopes to cross the border at Rafah to break what it says is the Israeli siege of Gaza and deliver civilian goods to the impoverished zone. If it fails to cross before 15 November, organisers fear the convoy will be held up in Egypt for a long time by the Muslim festival of Eid. Laura Stuart, one of the organisers waiting on the quayside at Derna, told the Guardian: "We had raised $75,000 to pay for the Maltese-flagged ship, Strofades IV, to take us to al-Arish. "But the Greek captain changed his mind while one of our vehicles was already on the ramp and 10 of our people were on board. The chief of police from Derna and four other Libyan officials were also negotiating on the vessel. "It was very, very dangerous. The captain drove his ship back and forwards, breaking the mooring ropes, bounced around the harbour and headed off to sea with the ramp doors still open." The dispute is understood to have been over money. The Strofades IV was shadowed by Libyan navy ships until it entered Greek waters. The Greek authorities have boarded it and are questioning the crew and those transported against their wishes to Piraeus, the main port in Athens. The Foreign Office has intervened, along with Greek and Libyan officials, to ensure that the Britons are not harmed. The Foreign Office said: "We have been informed that the ship has now anchored outside of Piraeus port, and we understand docking will take a few hours. British embassy staff will provide consular assistance to the British nationals on board if requested. "We remain in close contact with the Greek authorities, and our priority remains that there is a safe resolution to this incident." As well as six British volunteers, two Irish citizens, one Algerian and three Libyan officials are on the Strofades IV. Among them is Ken O'Keefe, a former US marine who is a survivor of the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara off Gaza in May.
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