FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2011

SHURAT HADIN FILES CUTTING EDGE LAWSUIT IN N.Y. TO SEIZE GAZA FLOTILLA SHIPS

Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center is able to report that we have achieved
some important victories in the struggle to block the anti-Israel
Flotilla from smuggling contraband to the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip.
Last week, we were informed that after sending warning letters to a
French insurance company cautioning them not to insure a boat that was
to be launched from Marseilles, the company decided not to provide the
French boat with insurance. As such, the ship will not be allowed to
sail out to join the Flotilla from a French port. Then on Thursday, we
learned that the main Turkish boat, the Mavi Marmara was pulling out of
the Flotilla as well. According to the NY Times the ships inability to
obtain maritime insurance to operate was thwarting its ability to lead
the Flotilla: "Because of insurance difficulties and political pressure,
it remained unclear whether the ship on which last year’s deaths
occurred, the Mavi Marmara of Turkey, would join the flotilla as
planned." On Friday the international media was confirming that the Mavi
Marmara would not sail because of its insurance difficulties!

Now this: On Thursday morning, Shurat HaDin and our American co-counsel,
Robert J. Tolchin of New York, filed an unprecedented lawsuit to seize
ships used by the Islamic and anti-Israeli organizations to breach
Israel’s coastal blockade. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of an
American terror victim injured by a Palestinian suicide bomber. The
suit, Bauer v The Mavi Marmara, was filed in Manhattan federal court. It
seeks to confiscate 14 ships outfitted with funds unlawfully raised in
the United States by anti-Israel groups, including The Free Gaza
Movement (“FGM”). In May 2010, several of these ships, led by the Mavi
Marmara, attempted to breach the blockade. The resulting violence caused
the deaths of nine militants and injury to numerous Israeli Navy SEALs.

The plaintiff, American biologist, Dr. Alan Bauer, who along with his
son Jonathan was seriously injured in a Palestinian suicide bombing on
March 21, 2002 in Jerusalem, alleges that FGM and other American-based
anti-Israel organizations have raised funds in the United States to
outfit the Gaza Flotilla ships. The lawsuit contends that furnishing and
outfitting the ships, which are being used for hostilities against a
U.S. ally, violates American law. The plaintiff rests his claim upon a
rarely-utilized "informant" statute (18 U.S.C. section 962) that allows
a plaintiff (called an "informer") to privately seize ships outfitted in
the United States for use against a U.S. ally. The law we are basing
this cutting edge suit upon is an anti-piracy
statute dating back to 1794.

This is the first time a lawsuit in the U.S. has been brought to seize
the Gaza Flotilla ships themselves. We aim to show that funds were
illegally raised by the FGM in the U.S. to purchase and outfit the
Flotilla boats in violation of the Neutrality Act. We contend that
organizing a naval expedition to violently breach Israel's coastal
blockade of the terrorist controlled Gaza is a hostile act against an
American ally.

It is our intention to seize all the boats and turn them over to a
victim of Palestinian terrorism. The extremists organizing these hostile
provocations against Israel must not be allowed to illegally raise funds
for their operations in the U.S. This unprecedented private action will
help block their efforts to breach the coastal blockade and smuggle
materials to Hamas in Gaza.

Our American co-counsel Robert Tolchin adds that, “this lawsuit will
bring judgment to people who have until now ignored the law. Each
flotilla ship is an attack on Israel and thus a slap in the face to the
United States and every other nation that is at peace with Israel. The
flotilla organizers, and the owners of these boats, should be held
accountable for the damages and deaths they cause.”

Must See Interview on PJTV about the Gaza Flotilla Lawsuit:
http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=mpg&mpid=427&link=744

A copy of a Jerusalem Post article about the Gaza Flotilla Lawsuit is
available here:
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=225547

A copy of the Gaza Flotilla Lawsuit complaint is available here:
http://www.israellawcenter.org/uploadimages/file/1640296317.pdf

Shurat HaDin is using the courts to fight back against the extremists,
please support our efforts!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT SHURAT HADIN:

+972 - 3 - 7514175
Email: info@israellawcenter.org