The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that Israeli forces intercepted nine vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) carrying 16 Malaysians, detaining them in international waters near Cyprus.
SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the vessels were approached aggressively by Israeli forces approximately 241 nautical miles from the Gaza coast, in waters recognised under international maritime law as governed by UNCLOS and outside any country’s blockade.
“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 on Monday (18 May).
The 16 detained Malaysians are Zainal Rashid Ahmad (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), and Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman (Josef).
SNCC informed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and requested government intervention to urge the European Union, Turkiye, Spain and other parties to condemn the interception of the humanitarian mission.
Sani Araby said the detainees are expected to be placed on a “floating prison” — a naval detention vessel — before being transferred to the 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, adding that the tactic allows Israel to hold the activists for longer periods and 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 added.
Source: The Star / Bernama
