Attackers of the IDF soldiers found to be Al Qaeda mercenaries

IDF Spokesperson 02 June 2010 , 10:47 Jonatan Urich

In a special meeting of the Security Cabinet it was disclosed that a group
of 40 people on board the Mavi Marmara with no identification papers belong
to Al Qaeda. The terrorists were equipped with bullet proof vests,
night-vision goggles, and weapons.

On board the Mavi Marmara ship that arrived as part of the flotilla to Gaza
was a group of approximately 40 people with no identification papers, who
are mercenaries belonging to the Al Qaeda terror organization. This was
disclosed by the Israeli Security Cabinet, which gathered on Tuesday evening
(June 1) for a special meeting.

According to intelligence disclosed during that meeting, the terrorists wore
bullet-proof vests, and carried with them night-vision goggles, weapons, and
large sums of cash. Each person in this group had the exact same amount of
cash in his pockets. While the civilian protestors were sent to the lower
deck during the Shayetet Naval Special Force's interception of the ship, the
group divided into cells and remained on the upper deck in order to attack
the soldiers.

An announcement delivered at the completion of this special meeting stated
that blocking the entrance of these ships into Gaza is an act of self
defense. The Cabinet places full responsibility for the incident on those
who started the violence which clearly endangered the lives of the IDF
soldiers, and commends the IDF for the way it responded. The meeting on this
subject will continue on Wednesday (June 2).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the meeting that he regrets
all loss of life, but gives full support to the IDF. "This was not a
flotilla for peace, but instead was a violent and organized force. We have
films and photographs which show what our soldiers faced, but the last thing
that can be said about this ship is that it was a flotilla of peace," he
said.

"We know from the experience of Operation Cast Lead, and beforehand, that
weapons entering the Gaza Strip are used against our civilians. Within Gaza
there is a terror state aided by Iran, and therefore we attempt to prevent
the entering of weapons to Gaza by land, air and sea. On the Francop ship
alone we caught approximately 200 tons of weapons which were smuggled by
Iran to Hezbollah,“ he added.

The Prime Minister emphasized that "Opening a martime channel to Gaza will
present a grave danger to the security of our civilians. Therefore we are
upholding the policies of the maritime blockade, and check the ships. There
is no possibility to establish these policies without checking the contents
of the ships. It is true that there is international pressure on and
criticism of this policy, but we must understand that it is necessary in
order to ensure the security of Israel and her right to self defense."