IDFSpokesperson

Background Information on
the Organizers behind the
2011 Flotilla to Gaza

June12
th
,2011

June12
th
,2011

Background Information on the

Organizers behind the 2011 Flotilla
to Gaza
A. Introduction:
1. The "Green Pastures" flotilla poses a severe threat to Israel's national security and its image in the
international community. Its organizers aim to provoke and denigrate Israel's security stance vis--vis
the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
2. The IHH, the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) and the Free Gaza Movement
(FGM) which was founded by senior International Solidarity Movement (ISM) leaders are the
three leading organizations represented on the flotilla.
3. Despite attempts by these organizations to portray their efforts as part of a struggle for "human rights"
and "humanitarian issues", they all have the following in common:
a. All are stridently anti-Israel, denying Israel's right of self-defense.
b. All have ties to radical Islam, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda.
c. All have an explicitly radical agenda, which includes "violent resistance" to Israel and to the
West.
d. All are aware of the questionable legality of their actions especially regarding their direct and
indirect assistance to Hamas, as the latter has been declared illegal both in the United States and
in Europe. For this reason, they stress the "humanitarian" aspect of their work and their ties with
leading "human-rights" organizations.
e. All are willing to confront Israeli security forces with violence. This willingness was
demonstrated by the IHH on the last flotilla and by operatives of ECESG and Free Gaza in their
demonstrations against Israel's security fence.




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B. TheEuropeanCampaigntoEndtheSiegeonGaza(ECESG):
1. The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza is an antiIsrael, proHamas umbrella
organization active in Europe. The organization, as part of a coalition of 6 organizations
led by the IHH, took part in the flotilla that culminated in the violence aboard the Mavi
Marmara.Sincethen,theorganizationanditscoalitionpartnershaveworkedtopromote
new plans that aim to damage Israel and increase its isolation in the international
communityamongthem"FreedomFlotilla2."
2. ECESG was founded in 2007 with the proclaimed aim of bringing about a "total end" to
Israel's "siege" on Gaza and bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. This aim helps
strengthentheHamasregimeinGazaandimpedesIsrael'seffortstoensurenoweapons
orterroroperativesentertheGazaStripvialandcrossingsorthesea.
3. ECESG's offices are located in Brussels, but its base of operations is in Britain
(historically, a center of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood operations within Europe).
Incorporating more than 30 antiIsrael and proHamas organizations across Europe,
ECESCG typically acts in conjunction with other likeminded groups, for example, the
"FreeGazaMovement"(FGM)and"VivaPalestina".
4. Among ECESG's top officials are several persons of Palestinian Arab, and specifically
Gazan, origin. Residing in London are its official spokesperson (who is a British citizen)
andaformerMemberofParliamentandgovernmentminister,whoalsooftenrepresents
ECESG as well as the "Palestine Return Centre". However, ECESG mainly consists of
Islamistactivists,farlefthumanrightsactivists,andevenenvironmentalactivists.
5. Characteristic activities: Organizing flotillas and aid convoys consisting of funds and
goods for the Hamas government in Gaza; boycotting Israeli goods, personalities, and
institutions; promoting the demand for the "right of return" for all Palestinian refugees;
influencing political bodies and public opinion through protests; spreading propaganda;
andtransferringfundstoHamasinstitutions.(Someofthepeopleandorganizationsthat
arepartofECESGareconnectedtotheCharityCoalition,orCharityofGood).
6. ECESG conducts a great deal of political lobbying, aimed at garnering European support
to exert pressure on Israel. For example, on June 16, 2010, after the flotilla incident,
delegates from the organization met with Members of the European Parliament at EU
headquarters in Strasbourg, where the MPs were updated regarding the details of the
"Marmara" flotilla. On the eve of a trip by Catharine Ashton, the EU Foreign Minister, to
Israel,theGazaStrip,andeasternJerusalem(June19,2010),ECESGactivistssentaletter




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in which they explained, in their mind, "why Israel eased the siege." The letter asked
AshtontodemandacompleteendtotheGazablockade.
1

7. ECESGorganizesvisitsbyparliamentaryandVIPdelegationstotheGazaStripwho
meetwithHamasseniormembers.InmidJanuary2010,ECESGorganizedadelegation
consisting of 50 people, among them politicians and former ministers, who visited the
Strip.Thegoalofthedelegationwastocollectdocumentsand informationandreturnto
their countries and European parliaments in order to advance activities to bring about
theendoftheIsraeliblockade.Duringthevisit,thedelegationmembersmetwithHamas
lawmakers, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, and the head of UNRWA, John Ging,
along with Palestinian NGOs based in the Gaza Strip. After the visit, the ECESG
publishedapressreleasecallingforIsraeltolifttheblockadeimmediately,forthe
International Court of Justice to accuse Israel of war crimes, and for Europe to
suspenditscommercialtieswithIsrael.
ProminentActivists
8. Information appearing on the ECESG website regarding the organization's activists is
sparse. Most of the senior activists from ECESG are members of other antiIsraeli
organizations,and are ofPalestinianAraborigin.Oneofthefounders andleaders of
the organization is Amin Abou Rashed, who took part in coordinating a European aid
convoy of trucks in AprilMay 2009. He was also an organizer and participant in the
previousflotilla(onboardtheshipSFENDONI,alsoknownas8000).
9. Amin Abou Rashed (or Amin Abou Ibrahim), 43, born in Lebanon to parents of
PalestinianArab origin, holds a Dutch passport and is ideologically aligned with the
Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in Holland and throughout Europe. Previously, he
wasamemberofthealAqsaFoundationinHolland,whichbelongedtoanetworkofaid
foundationsintheUnionofGood,whichdistributesfinancialaidtoHamas.

1
ECESG activists also met with Ashton's predecessor Javier Solana to discuss this matter. The
meaning of this demand is opening up all the landbased and maritime crossings to the Gaza
Stripforsmugglingweaponsand terrorists.ECESGandotherorganizationsofthistypeentirely
ignore the threat of terrorism from Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the security necessities Israel
confrontswhendealingwiththisthreatintheGazaStrip.




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10. The alAqsa Foundation was declared an "unlawful assembly" in 1997 and a terror
organizationin1998byIsrael.TheU.S.outlawedtheFoundationinMay2003.TheDutch
branchofthealAqsaFoundationwasincludedinalistofterrororganizationsrecognized
bytheEuropeanUnioninJune2003.Duringthe HolyLandFoundationtrialinwhichan
AmericanfoundationwasfoundtobetransferringfundstoHamas,adocumentsignedby
Amin Abou Ibrahim was presented. The document included addresses of "charity
institutions" in Europe working for Palestine. This document was published as a legal
artifactinthesuccessfullegalstruggleledbytheU.S.againstthisfoundation.
11. AfterthealAqsaFoundationwasshutdowninHolland,AbouRasheddidnotchangethe
nature of his activities and became the head of a local proHamas organization called
PPMS (Palestinian Platform for Human Rights and Solidarity). This organization is
affiliatedwiththeMuslimBrotherhoodandwasfoundedin2005.
12. Dr. Arafat Mahmoud Sahari is a Palestinian born in the village of Attil in the Tulkarem
district,nowaBritishcitizenandafatherofthree.Hecompletedhisdoctoratedegreeon
the subject of Palestinian refugees and has authored a book about the status of refugees
in Islam. He has been the chairman of ECESG and active in the organization for three
years.HealsoservesasmanagerofthePalestinianReturnCenter(PRC),aninstitutionin
London which belongs to the ECESG and identifies itself with Hamas and the Muslim
Brotherhood.InMay2010ontheeveofthepreviousflotilla'sdeparture,Dr.Sahari
met with Turkish Prime Minister Erdoan while heading a delegation comprising of
the ECESG, the PRC, and several other European organizations. During this meeting,
Sahari said that Turkey plays a major role in the lifting of the siege in Gaza. In an
interview,hedescribedtheIHHasoneoftheorganization'sgreatestallies.
13. AmjadYaserAbedAlmajidalShaweBornin1971inGazaCity,alShawewasinvolved
in preparations for the planned flotilla (Freedom Flotilla 2). His name was raised as
manager of the Gaza office for the Palestinian network of NGOs (PNGO). He is active in
organizingandcoordinatingtheflotillas.
14. RamiTzalachIsmailAbdaBornin1977intheRimalneighborhoodinGaza,nowliving
in Manchester, Great Britain. In May 2009, he coordinated the truck aid convoy which
included several tons of trucks. The convoy entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah
Crossing.Heisactiveinorganizingtheplannedflotilla.




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BelowaredetailsonsomeoftheorganizationsbelongingtoECESG:
ThePalestinianReturnCentre(PRC)
15. PRC is an organization founded in 1996 with the objective of raising international
awareness to what is known as "the right of return" for the Palestinian people. On
December 27
th
, 2010 the ISA released a statement saying that the Minister of Defense,
EhudBarak,hadsignedadecreeatthebeginningofthemonthdeclaringthePRCtobean
"unlawfulassemblyduetoitsbeingapartoftheHamasmovement."
16. The PRC offices are located in northern London. It is considered to be one of the main
institutions through which Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood operate in Britain.
Several former Hamas operatives who fled to Britain currently serve in senior positions
on the administrative board for the organization. The organization states that the
majorityofitsfundingcomesthroughdonations;howeverthere arestrongfinancialties
totheInterpalandUnionofGood.
17. ThePRCcooperatescloselywiththeECESG.TheexecutivemanagerofthePRC,Dr.Arafat
Madi,isalsothechairmanoftheECESG.TheECESG'sofficesinLondonarelocatedinside
thePRCoffices,andtheysharethesamephoneandfaxnumbers.
18. A prominent activist in the PRC is Majed alZeer who is the PRC's CEO and trustee. Al
Zeer resides in Britain and considers himself a "British Palestinian". His political views
arealignedwiththeMuslimBrotherhoodandHamasdespitehisconsciouseffortsnotto
publicallyidentifywiththem.
19. In November 2008, Damascus hosted the Arab International Congress for the Right of
Return. During this conference, Majed alZeer sat on the honorary guest podium next to
Khaled Mashal, Mahatir Mohamad (former president of Malaysia who is known for
numerous antiSemitic statements) and Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur (Iranian official who
played a definitive role in the creation of Hezbollah). A public declaration made by the
Congressexpressedsupportfortheimplementationofan"activeresistanceculture",first
andforemostasthe"optimalwaytorealizethePalestinianrightofreturn".

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DroitPourTous(RightsForAll)
20. A nongovernmental organization located in Geneva which is involved in antiIsraeli
activity and declares that its long term objective is to bring about worldwide justice. In
reality, its activities are centered on the Palestinian issue and "Palestinian rights" in the
"occupied territories" in order to raise awareness among Swiss citizens regarding the
Palestinianproblem.Thegrouporganizesprotests,conferences,andexhibitions.
21. The organization's president is Anwar alGharbi, a professional engineer of Tunisian
descent. His name has been mentioned as former senior member of the Association de
Secours Palestinien in Switzerland, a Swiss organization that was part of Union of Good.
HeisalsoamemberofPartnersforPeaceandDevelopmentforPalestinians(PPDP).
L'AssociazioneBeneficadiSolidarietaconilPopoloPalestinese(ABSPPONLUS)
22. This is in fact The Association of Palestinians in Italy (API), an organization that
representstheMuslimBrotherhoodinItaly.TheorganizationisalsoactiveinTheUnion
ofGoodinItalyandhastieswiththe HamasleadershipinDamascusandtheGazaStrip.
The organization was active in the previous flotilla to Gaza. At the head of the
organization is Mohammad Hannoun, who recently represented the ECESG in a
delegation to Brazil to raise funds for the flotilla. He also met with the Turkish
AmbassadortoItalytothankhimforhisgovernment'ssupportoftheflotilla.
C. InternationalSolidarityMovement
1. The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a network of antiIsraeli activists
founded in 2001 by a group of extreme leftwing activists in the U.S. along with
Palestinian leftwing activists mostly Christians and several proPalestinian
extremist leftwing activists from Israel. The core funders have enlisted volunteers
from various Western countries, among them Jews, on the basis of general hostility
towardsIsraelanditspolicytowardsthePalestinians.
2. The ISM's objective is to grant international assistance to the Palestinian struggle
and to convey its solidarity to such struggle through the use of nonviolence actions
termed "direct action" (a term derived from the terminology of radical left
revolutionarystrugglesandhumanrightsmovements).




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3. During 20012005, the years of the Second Intifada, the ISM conducted intensive
activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip via shortterm volunteers it enlisted. The
volunteerswhostartedarrivingintheterritoriesinDecember2001didnotsettlefor
aiding the Palestinian population but specialized in sabotaging IDF operation
activities.
4. TheISM'sactivityincludedparticipationinprotests,specificallyPalestinianprotests;
placing active members as human shields for wanted terror operatives; financial,
logisticandmoralesupporttoPalestiniansincludingterroristsandterroristfamilies;
disruptionofdemolitionsorthesealingofterrorists'homes;andconductingmarches
alongthesecurityfencefromJenintoJerusalem.
5. Two main events which were part of these tactics and which the ISM has proudly
proclaimed on its website include placing the organization's members as human
shieldsintheChurchofNativityinBethlehem,andinArafat'scompoundinRamallah
duringApril2002(OperationDefensiveShield).
6. At the end of the Second Intifada, the ISM headquarters were relocated to the Gaza
Strip during the time in which Hamas was gathering strength and until it seized
controloftheStripin2007.FourISMseniormembersfromthe U.S.wereamongthe
founders of an international proHamas umbrella organization called the Free Gaza
Movement. Since 2008, ISM senior members have been promoting flotilla projects
withintheframeworkoftheFreeGazaMovement(FGM),whilealsokeepinguptheir
activitiesintheISM.
7. Whilemaintaininginvolvementintheflotillaprojects,theISMhasbeenoperatingin
twocentralfieldssincetheendofthesecondIntifada:
a. Sending volunteers to protest activities (similar to those in Bil'in) in Israeli
Palestinian conflicts zones, in cooperation with Palestinian Popular Struggle
CoordinationCommittees.TheseactivitiesareportrayedbytheISMandPAas
nonviolent, but in reality, activists engage in acts of "soft violence" (rock
hurling, physical confrontation of Israeli armed forces, hurling firebombs).
This form of soft violence has caused injuries among protesters and Israeli
forces. The presence of ISM activists and other nonPalestinian activists




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heightened tensions, fuels the protests, encourages Palestinian protesters,

andburdenssecurityforcesduringtheiractivities.
b. Participation in antiIsraeli activity in the U.S., Europe, and other countries
aroundtheworld,includingcallstobanIsraelanditsproductsaswellasprotests
againstitsPalestinianrelated policies.Israelisportrayedasaracist,exploitative
and apartheid state in order to undermine its legitimacy and turn it into a
diplomaticpariah.TheISM'santiIsraelactivitymanifestintheformsofprotests,
oncampusactivitiesincollegesoruniversitiesaroundtheworld,proPalestinian
cultural events, and attempts to influence the political leadership in various
countries.ISMactivistsmanagetheirpropagandaagainstIsraelthroughwebsites,
blogs,books,plays,andinterviewstomediaoutlets.
8. The ISM tends to present itself as oriented towards nonviolent activity, human
rights,respectforinternationallawandUNresolutions,aswellasaspiringtoa"just
peace".However,analysisofitsreportsandstatementspointtoanorganizationwith
strong antiIsrael, antiZionist ideology which embraces only the most radical of the
Palestinians' demands. Hostility towards Israel is often the based upon their critical
views of U.S. policy, especially the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following 9/11. The
ISM denounces not only the policies of past and present Israeli governments ("the
Israeli apartheid in Palestine"), but the very existence of Israel as the state of the
Jewishpeople.
9. Publications and public statements by ISM members highlight Palestinian refugees'
rightofreturntoIsrael,rejecttheOsloAccords,andmakenomentionofsupportinga
twostate solution. However, the ISM maintains a certain vagueness regarding these
fundamental positions in order for it to easily reach out to as many human rights
groups and peace activists as possible, including Jews, some of which do not deny
Israel'srightofexistencebutonlyobjecttoitspoliciestowardsthePalestinians.
10. In internal documents on its website and in statements made by its members and
activists,theISMrepeatedlyemphasizesthatitonlyendorsesnonviolentmeans.The
mediahasoftencalledISMmembers"peaceactivists".Itsmembersdonotnecessarily
take a direct part in terror activities against Israel, but in internal documents and in
statements made by senior members, the ISM has often justified Palestinian armed
conflict,evenattheheightofsuicideterrorbombingsduringtheSecondIntifada.For




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example, its activists have sheltered an Islamic Jihad activist who was involved in
suicide bombings, placing explosive devices to harm Israeli civilians, and shooting
attacks. They have also attempted to sabotage IDF operations, including the
detonationofanexplosiveslaboratorywhichwasusedtocreateexplosivedevicesfor
suicide bombings. Alongside placidly aiding Palestinian residents, ISM activists have
also cooperated in events where "soft violence" was used, which ended up harming
Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces personnel. This activity, held in
areaswheretheIDFoperatedagainstPalestinianterror,endangeredthelivesofISM
activistswhiletheISMwaswellawareofthefact.
11. ConsciousviolationofIsraelilaw:ISMactivistsintheterritorieshavefrequentlyand
intentionally violated Israeli law. They have done this through attempts to deceive
Israeli authorities upon their arrival to Israel, and by entering closed military zones
and methodically acting to sabotage IDF operational activity. Internal documents
from within the ISM show that activists who were sent to the territories had
previously attended training workshops in which they were briefed on methods to
deceive Israeli authorities, such as posing as tourists, changing details in their
passports,anddenyinganyconnectionstotheISM.Assuch,themembersweregiven
legal briefings regarding the desired manner of conduct while in the presence of
IsraelisecurityforcesandinIsraelicourthouses.
12. The ISM is deeply linked to the FGM (Free Gaza Movement), one of the central
umbrella organizations that initiate the launching of flotillas to the Gaza Strip. The
FGM was founded in 2006 by senior ISM members. Three of the ISM founders and
senior members are considered today to be senior FGM members: Huwaida Arraf
(American,daughterofanIsraeliArabandaPalestinianmother),herhusbandAdam
Shapiro (Jewish American) and Greta Berlin (American). Another activist and one of
the founders of ISM and FGM is Paul Larudee (American) who, due to ideological
conflicts with FGM activists, resigned and created the Free Palestine Movement
(FPM).ThelinebetweenISMandFGMactivistsisnotalwaysclear,eventhemembers
oftheorganizationsthemselves.
13. ISM attributes great importance to media coverage of its antiIsraeli activities.
InternalreportsoftheISMdealwiththemediaingreatdetail.ISMvolunteersinthe
territoriesareaccompaniedbymediacoordinatorsfromtheISM officesinRamallah.
In order to convey its messages and hide its support for Palestinian terror and




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violence, the ISM uses a terminology "word bank" which it instills in its activists
duringmandatorytrainingworkshopspriortotheirdeparturetotheterritories.Each
volunteermustconductatrainingworkshopfortwodaysbeforeorimmediatelyafter
hisorherarrival.Thisishow,forexample,activistsareinstructednottousetheterm
"violence", but rather the term "resistance" ("resistance" is a term routinely used by
terror organizations). Activists are also instructed that when the term terrorism
(attributedtoPalestinians)isused,theymustbringupstate terrorism(attributedto
thestateofIsrael).
HuwaidaArraf
14. Huwaida Arraf is one of the founders of ISM and a prominent figure in the
organization today. Her proclaimed role is a coordinator and spokesperson for the
ISM, however in actuality it seems that she serves as its operational and spiritual
leader. Aside from ISM activities, she serves a central role in FGM, a proHamas
umbrellaorganizationwhich"specializes"inlaunchingvehicularconvoystotheGaza
Strip(shecurrentlyservesasoneoftheinterimmembersoftheboardoftrusteesof
theFGM).
15. Arraf's family came to Detroit in 1975 and she was born there in 1976, the eldest of
five brothers . She is a Christian. Her father, a factory worker in General Motors in
Detroit, was born in Israel in one of the Galilee villages. Her mother, a professional
nurse,wasborninBeitSahour,asmallChristiantowneastofBethlehem.Today,Beit
SahourisaplaceinwhichtheISMhasapermanentpresence.
16. Huwaida Arraf graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in political
science, Arabic and Jewish studies. She completed a law degree while majoring in
humanrights,internationallaw and warcrimes. In 2007she received adoctoratein
lawfromtheAmericanUniversityinWashingtonD.C.Shealsolecturedonthesubject
humanrightsandlawattheAlQudsUniversityinJerusalem.
17. After completing her studies in 1998, she worked to advance ArabAmerican rights
aspartofherjobinanArabAmericanthinktankinWashington.Since2001shehas
been active in the organization Seeds of Peace, which aims to advance dialogue
between Jewish and Palestinian youth. She arrived in Jerusalem during 2001 as part
ofadelegationsentbytheorganizationandservedasacoordinatorattheCenterfor




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Coexistence in Jerusalem. There she met Adam Shapiro, a Jew from Brooklyn, whom
shemarriedin2002.
18. ArrafhasjustifiedPalestinianviolenceinthepast.OnJanuary29
th
2002,attheheight
of the wave of suicide bombings in Israel, she wrote an oped together with Adam
ShapirowhichwaspublishedinthePalestinianChronicle,inwhichisstated:
"Inactuality,nonviolenceisnotenough...ThePalestinianresistancemusttakeona
variety of characteristics both nonviolent and violent. But most importantly it
must develop a strategy involving both aspects. No other successful nonviolent
movementwasabletoachievewhatitdidwithoutaconcurrentviolentmovement."
19. AshortwhileafterthefoundingoftheISMin2001,Arrafandherhusbandbeganto
work full time at ISM. In April 2002 she became the head of a group of ISM activists
who aided wanted terrorists which barricaded themselves in the Church of Nativity
in Bethlehem by supplying them food and water. During her activities in the Judea
andSamariaregionArrafwasarrestedanumberoftimesbyIsraelisecurityforces.
20. In2004,Arrafwasacoeditorofthebook"PeaceUnderFire",acollectionofpersonal
testimonies by ISM volunteers. In the summer of 2006, during the 2
nd
Lebanon War,
sheandShapiroleftforLebanoninordertocoordinateaidtothecitizensofsouthern
Lebanon. In 2009, she was part of the National Lawyers Guild delegation, which set
outtodocumentwhattheytermed"violationsofinternationallawandwarcrimesby
Israel"duringOperationCastLead.
21. In2006,ArrafbecameoneofthefoundersoftheFGM.In2008, Arrafparticipatedin
the FGM flotilla to the Gaza Strip. On May 31
st
, she participated in the flotilla led by
IHH which ended with the Marmara incident. She played a significant part in
organizing the flotilla, including participating in a preparatory meeting on May 16
th

2010 in Istanbul, led by the deputy president of the IHH. During this meeting,
arrangementswereconfirmedfortheflotilla.
22. Arraf began her journey with the flotilla aboard the yacht Challenger 2, which was
launched by the FGM. Video clips show that she was the spiritual leader, the
organizer and coordinator of the activists on the ship, and was highly regarded
among them. Due to a technical complication the Challenger 2 ended its journey in
Cyprus,andArraf,togetherwithotheractivists,movedtotheMaviMarmara.




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23. According to a video filmed a day or two before the ship set sail, while in a hotel in
Cyprus,Arrafgavedetailedbriefingstoactivistsabouttoparticipateintheflotillaon
thefollowingtopics:whattoexpectinGaza,howtoactwiththePalestinians,various
scenarios they would encounter with Israelis, how to act if they are arrested and
investigatedinIsrael,expectedpunishmentstheymightface,legalissuesandtherole
of the consulates of each activist's country of origin. She also instructed them
regarding their actions and behavior on the ship: division into teams, how to block
IDFforceswhentheyboardtheboat(thebriefingincludedaninstructiontoactivists
to block the way to the ship's control and engine rooms), and the need to designate
filmingcrewsfordocumentation purposes.Duringtheflotillajourney,shecontinued
tobriefandinstructtheactivistsonboardtheyacht.
GretaBerlin
24. Berlin is a senior member in ISM and a member on the FGM's interim board of
trustees. Berlin has marked antiIsraeli and proHamas opinions. Born in Detroit in
1941, today she resides in Los Angeles. She studied mass media and theatre arts for
herbachelor'sdegreeandreceivedamaster'sdegreeintheatre.Shewasmarriedtoa
Palestinian from Safed and gave birth to two children who define themselves as
AmericanPalestinians, although she is now divorced, according to the FGM website.
After her divorce, she married Dr. Alvin Berlin, a Jewish scientist, and later divorced
him. She was a past owner of a company specializing in the instruction of
presentationdesign.
25. According to Berlin, she began to participate in antiIsraeli activities when she and
her husband founded PalAid International Inc., one of the first NGOs in Chicago,
whichsoughttobenefitPalestinians.In2003shejoinedtheISM.Shewasactiveinthe
ISM'smediaofficeinBeitSahour,andduringOperationDefensiveShieldshelivedin
Jenin.ShereturnedtoJudeaandSamariain2005andagainin2007.
26. Greta Berlin was one of the FGM founders in 2006, and continues to be a central
figure in the organization, primarily as a spokeswoman. Berlin participated in the
FGM's first flotilla, which succeeded in entering the Gaza Strip in 2008. She aided
organizing subsequent flotillas. She was also one of the organizers of the previous
flotilla on May 2010 and was photographed aboard the MV Rachel Corrie, which




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arrived belatedly and was stopped by the Israeli Navy. During the flotilla, she was
partoftheFGMboardinCyprusandthedesignatedPOCfortheinternationalpress.
27. During aradiointerview,Berlinsaid "itisridiculousthat becauseAmerica,Israeland
the EU do not like Hamas's goals, they are suddenly referred to as terrorists" (Radio
Free Europe, August 13
th
2007). In the same interview, she also said that America
aidsIsraelinorderto"conquer,kill,starve,humiliateandbanishthelocalpopulation
in favor of white European colonialism". In an additional interview, while discussing
the flotilla, she said that "the only illegal presence in the area is that of Israel this
mission is not about transferring humanitarian supplies but about breaking the
Israeliblockade".

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D. TheFreeGazaMovement
1. 'Free Gaza' was founded in 2006 as an explicitly proPalestinian and proHamas
organization whose declared sole purpose is to break the Israeli siege on Gaza. The
organization's headquarters are located in Nicosia, Cyprus, where it is listed as a
human rights group. Its website claims the group has branches in 28 countries
aroundtheworld,outofwhich11areEuropean,fiveareNorthAmerican(fourinthe
US and one in Canada) and one is in Israel (termed on the website as the "1948
Palestinianterritories").

2. Free Gaza was a key player in the coalition of organizations responsible for the
previousflotilla,thoughtheleadingpowerthenandnowremainstheTurkishIHH.In
2008 the organization began launching aid flotillas to Gaza. By the 2010 Turkish
flotilla,FreeGazahadlaunchedfourflotillastotheGazaStrip:

a. August 2008: Two ships sailed from Cyprus and docked at the Gaza Port on
August23
rd
.

b. October2008:Ayachtbythenameof'Dignity'with26membersandmedical
suppliesaboard.TheboatreachedGazaonOctober29
th
.

c. December2008:The'Dignity'sailedagain,loadedwiththreetonsofmedical
supplies, attempted to reach Gaza again but was stopped by the Israeli Navy
onDecember30
th
.

d. June2009:Theship'SpiritofHumanity'wasduetodockattheGazaPorton
June 30
th
, but was stopped by the Israeli Navy near the port a day early on
June29
th
.

3. Theorganization'smissionstatement,featuredonitswebsite, statesthatitspurpose
istobreakthesiegeonGaza.ItaddsthatdoesnotaskforIsrael'spermissiontoact:
"We have not and will not ask for Israels permission. It is our intent to overcome
thisbrutalsiegethroughcivilresistanceandnonviolentdirectaction,andestablish
apermanentsealanebetweenGazaandtherestoftheworld."
(http://www.freegaza.org/en/aboutus/mission)




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4. Free Gaza's inside documents, seized during the "Marmara" flotilla, detailed the
organization'sstrategicpolicyaswellasinstructionsgiventoitsmembersbeforethe
flotilla set sail. An analysis of these documents reveals enormous differences,
sometimesevencontradictions,betweentheorganization'spubliclystatedviewsand
theiractions.Forexample:

a. Legally: The legal briefing given to Free Gaza operatives indicates a great
sensitivity to the legal difficulties involved in transferring aid to Hamas,
particularly in the US where Hamas was outlawed. The phrasing of the
briefing lets on that although Free Gaza claims the aid is intended for the
civilian population, it is aware it will actually aid Hamas. During the briefing
members were consequently warned to refrain from any action of statement
thatmightbeinterpretedasgranting"materialaid"toHamas,inordernotto
incriminate themselves in the US and other countries (Free Gaza both
operatesinandreceivesdonationsfromtheUS).

b. Politically: During the legal briefing, as a solution to the problematic

definition of Hamas as a "terrorist organization", members were told Free
Gazahaspubliclydeclaredithasnopoliticalagendaanditiscommittedonly
to "nonviolent humanitarian aid" intended for the Palestinians (the
organization defines itself as a 'human rights project' on its website).
However,withintheinsidedocumentsfoundaboardthe"MaviMarmara"itis
clear that political, and not humanitarian, goals were defined. The minimal
goals delineated within the documents included raising media awareness of
the"siege"onGazaandspurringforeigngovernmentstotakepunitiveactions
againstIsrael.

c. Preplanned responses to possible scenarios: The organization visualized

several"defensive"scenariosfortheflotillabasedontheassumptionthatthe
IDF will not be able to stop the ships without the use of force. Free Gaza's
responses detail several tactics designed to prevent the IDF taking over the
ship, including laying out sharpened obstacles on the deck and having
members of the organization barricade themselves inside the engine and
steeringrooms.Thesetacticsdon'tmatchuptotheinstructionshandedoutto




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members in which the use of violence, physical or verbal, was prohibited. At

the hands of Free Gaza's members, the de facto meaning of the phrase
"nonviolentresistance"isopentoawiderangeofinterpretations.

E. FoundationforHumanRightsandFreedomsandHumanitarianRelief(IHH)
1. The Turkish IHH organization (Humanitarian Relief Foundation, full title The
FoundationforHumanRightsandFreedomsandHumanitarianRelief)isanextremist
IslamicorganizationfoundedinGermanyin1992whoseoriginal aimwastoprovide
aim to Muslims in Bosnia during the 90s war in the region. The organization was
created by the nationalist religious Turkish movement IMGM (Islam Toplumu Milli
Grs)whichisalignedwiththeIslamicextremistFelicity('Saadet')party.

2. Since its founding the organization displayed extremist Islamic and Jihadist
tendencies, although as time went on it expanded its activities to social aid
(providing aid to Islamic communities around the world, with an emphasis on war
zones,aswellasareasafflictedbypovertyornaturaldisasters).Inrecentyears,the
organization has expanded its activities to various countries in Europe by creating
numerous organizational branches. Today, the IHH has headquarters in over 120
countriesanditsactivitiescombinesocialcharityworkandextremistIslamicideas.
IHHconnectionswithworldwideJihadorganizations
3. IHHactivistsarenotoriouslyconnectedtoworldwideJihadfigures,withanemphasis
on Bosnia and Chechnya. Most of their joint activities were carried out in the 90s,
althoughthereisevidenceregardingthecontinuationofJihadisttiesthroughoutthe
previous decade. The main activities of the IHH with worldwide Jihadist figures
include providing logistic and financial aid to activists in various countries and
cooperatingduringoperationalactivities.Forinstance:
a. The IHH has a direct connection with alQaeda and has recruited
operativestovariousJihadistarenas.
b. TheIHHhastiestooperativesinChechnya,resultinginpersonalrelations
between the leader of the IHH, Blent Yildirim, and Samil Basaib, one of




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,2011

the leaders of activist in Chechnya. As such, the IHH aided Chechnyan

activists by transferring and laundering money via the SaudiChechnyan
axis,andevenactedasanindirectpointofcontactwiththeleadershipof
alQaeda.
c. IHH helped transfer fighters to Bosnia in the 1990s. As part of its aid to
Jihad operatives, the IHH funded medical treatments and interim living
quartersastheypassedthroughTurkey.
d. IHH provided logistic aid to operatives of the Jihadist organizations IMU
(Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) in
Uzbekistan.
4. The above information was published in a 2006 research paper conducted by the
DanishInstituteforInternationalStudies(http://www.diis.dk/sw152.asp).Thestudy
found that the IHH had ties with alQaeda and worldwide Jihad operatives. It was
conducted by a senior American researcher, Evan Kohlman, who specializes in
researching alQaeda. The study dealt with the involvement of Islamic charity
organizationsinaidingterror.
5. The study goes on to state that Turkish governments began to investigate the IHH
from as far back as December 1997, due to reports that IHH senior officials had
purchased weapons from radical Islamic organizations. Due to this, a raid was
conducted on the IHH offices in Istanbul and IHH activists were arrested. Turkish
security forces exposed many findings during the raid, among them weapons,
explosive materials, instructions for preparing explosive devices and flags carrying
Jihadist messages. From an analysis of the documents found in the IHH offices
conducted by the Turkish authorities, it was discovered that IHH members intended
toparticipateinJihadistactivitiesinAfghanistan,BosniaandChechnya.Allthispoints
tothefactthatTurkishofficialswerefamiliarwiththeIHH'sextremistworldview.
6. The paper quotes a report by a French intelligence agency which states that the
leaderoftheIHH,BlentYildirim,actedduringthe90storecruitretiredmilitantsin
order to organize Jihadist activities. According to the French report, a number of
operativeswereevensentbytheIHHtocombatzonesinIslamiccountriesinorderto




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gainhandsonexperience.Itwasalsosaidthattheorganizationtransferredfinancial
aidtoMuslimmilitantsinthosecountriesalongwithweaponsandexplosives.
7. The paper further detailed continuous telephone conversations throughout 1996
betweenIHHactivistsfromIstanbultoanalQaedahostelinMilan,Italy,aswellasto
AlgerianterroristsinEurope(amongthemalQaedaseniorofficialAbuelMa'ali,who
wasactiveinBosnia).
8. ThenameofIHHwasevenmentionedduringthetrialofAhmedRessamintheUSin
2000. Ressam is a senior alQaeda operative in Canada, who entered the US in 1999
withacarbearingapproximately600kilogramsofexplosives.Ressamalsoplanneda
terroristattackmeanttokillalargenumberofciviliansintheLosAngelesAirportfor
themillennium.FederalprosecutorsinAmericacalledJeanLouisBruguire,aFrench
judge and researcher specializing in counterterrorism, to submit expert testimony.
According to him, the IHH is a nongovernmental aid organization which served a
crucialroleintheplanningofalQaeda'sattemptedterrorattack.TheIHHservedasa
cover, thus allowing alQaeda to acquire fake documents, recruit activists and
transfer weapons. Bruguire went on record several times saying that the IHH had
connectionswithworldwideJihadistsorganizations.
9. Itshouldbenoted,inthiscontext,thatthedailyTurkishnewspaperHrriyetexposed
thatoneoftheIHHactivistsontheMaviMarmara,ErdinTekir,tookpartinhijacking
the Russian ferry MV Avrasya in the Black Sea in 1996 (August 20
th
2010). The
hijacking was executed by an armed group of Islamic extremists who received
support from Muslims in Turkey. Tekir was wounded during the incident, and later
sentenced to nine years in prison, although he was released after only three and a
half.Hejoinedthe'Marmara'flotillaasanIHHactivistinchargeoffirstaid.
10. The study also showed that after America invaded Iraq in 2003, the IHH and its
leader, Blent Yildirim, played a key role in antiWestern incitement among Turkish
Muslims.Duringtheyear2002IHHorganizedprotestsagainsttheattempttotopple
SaddamHussein'sregime.InDecember2004,theIHHorganizeda marchinIstanbul
against America, during which Yildirim said to the Turkish news agency 'Anatolia'
that "intelligence cooperation between America, Britain and Turkey must stop, or else
we will organize activities in front of every consulate and, if need be, we will organize
50100thousandpeopleinfrontoftheUSembassyinTurkey".




June12
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11. It is important to note that during an interview given by an Iranian researcher for
Palestinian issues, Yazdan Karimi, on August 25
th
2010 to the Iranian 'Fars' news
agency,heemphasizedtheconnectionbetweentheideologyoftheIranianrevolution
andthemanagementoftheIHHorganization.AccordingtoKarimi,duringJuly2010,
a memorial service in Turkey was conducted for those killed during the flotilla, and
the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini's slogan "if every Muslim dumps a bucket of water,
Israelwillbeerasedbytheflood"waswrittenonthewallsoftheceremonyhall.
LegalstatusofIHHinIsraelandGermany
12. In2008theIHHwasbannedinIsrael,sinceitbelongedtotheCoalitionofGoodandit
becameasignificantcomponentofrecruitmentforHamasallovertheworld.OnJuly
12
th
2010, the interior ministry of Germany publically banned IHH activity in
Germany. The decision to ban the IHH was the result of a continuous investigation
that went on for a year, due to its suspected involvement in funding Hamas and
launderingmoneyunderahumanitarianguise.DespiteclaimsoftheTurkishIHHthat
they are separate from the German IHH, they use similar names and symbols and
othercharacteristics.
ConnectionbetweenIHHandtheHamasmovement
13. Aspreviouslymentioned,theIHHhasanextremistIslamicandantiWesternideology
and is closely associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, the mother organization of
Hamas.TheIHHpublicallysupportsHamasanddoesnothideitscloserelationswith
theterrorgroup.
14. In recent years, the IHH has strengthened its ties with Hamas and the Muslim
Brotherhood, who have freedom of activity in Turkey. The official branch of the IHH
inGazawas inauguratedonFebruary2009,intheaftermathofOperation CastLead.
InNovember2009,theIHHsentoneofitsactivists,AzatShahin,toopenabranchin
the Judea and Samaria region. Shahin began to advance this venture and aid the
civilian infrastructure of the Hamas movement, which opposes the Palestinian
Authority.HehelpedestablishaterrorsupportsystemwhichHamasusestoprovide
aidtoterroristsandtheirfamilies.
15. As a part of the IHH representation in Gaza, the IHH transferred funding to the
Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron a main Hamas institution and to the Al




June12
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,2011

Tadamon ('Solidarity') organization in Nablus, which has identified itself in the past
withHamas,andforthisreasonwasatargetdesignationforthePalestiniansecurity
forces.AfterfundsweretransferredfromtheIHHtotheseorganizations,Shahinwas
arrested in Israel in April 2010 and was investigated for suspected transgressions
connected to funding terror and providing support for Hamas. The head of the IHH,
Yildirim,sentalettertothePresidentofTurkey,AbdullahGl,inwhichhedescribed
the conditions of Shahin's arrest, and asked Gul to pressure Israel to release him.
Afterhisinvestigation,ShahinwasdeportedfromIsrael.
16. In December 2009, the IHH took part in an aid convoy organized by 'Viva Palestina'
(headed by former British Parliament Member, George Galloway), which sought to
transfergoodsandequipmenttotheGazaStrip.TheconvoyleftfromEurope,passed
through Turkey, Syria and Jordan, but was stopped in January 2010 in Egypt. In
negotiations between the convoy's organizers and Egyptian security forces, it was
agreed that about 350 of the convoy's members (most of them Turkish and Syrian)
would be allowed to enter the Strip via the Rafah Crossing along with 139 trucks of
goods.
17. Despite the compromise, the convoy members began to violently confront the
Egyptiansecurityforces,duringwhich55convoymemberswereinjured,40ofwhich
were IHH operatives. The incident highlights the violent behavior which
characterizes the IHH organization the willingness to forcefully confront security
forces, even going so far as to take hostages (as in the Mavi Marmara incident). It
should be mentioned in this context that the leader of the IHH, Blent Yildirim,
addressed the capture of Egyptian soldiers during the confrontation on January 5
th
,
2010.
18. TheIHHgivesaidtoHamasinavarietyofdifferentways:
a. Financialactivity:AspartofitsmembershipintheCoalitionofGood,IHH
created a branch in Judea and Samaria led by Azat Shahin, who was
expelledfromIsrael.Assuch,anotherbranchwasestablishedintheGaza
Strip headed by IHH activist Muhammad Kaya. The IHH promised to
supply aid at the sum total of 50 million Euros () to the Gaza Strip
followingOperationCastLead.




June12
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b. Political propaganda activity: The IHH organized public meetings in

supportofHamas.TherehavebeennumerousmeetingsbetweenIHHand
Hamas leaders. Examples include Yildirim meeting Khaled Mashal in
Damascus2009,andYildirimmeetingIsmailHaniyehintheGaza Stripin
January 2010. In addition, a number of visits are known to have taken
place in Turkey, during which Hamas delegations have met with IHH
leaders.
BlentYildirim,HeadoftheIHH
19. Blent Yildirim was born in 1966 in Erzurum. He studied law in the University of
Istanbulandisalawyerbyprofession.TodayhelivesinIstanbul,amarriedmanand
father of four. Yildirim was one of the founders of IHH in 1992, and later became its
soleleader.
20. A short while after the organization's founding, Yildirim was suspected of covert
involvementinattemptstorecruitfightersforJihadistactivitiesandsendingthemto
combatzonesinMuslimcountries(seepage19).During20022003theorganization,
under Yildirim, played a central role in organizing public protests against the U.S's
intentions to topple the Hussein regime in Iraq, and in antiWestern incitement
among Muslims in Turkey. In December 2004 Yildirim called for the end of Turkish
ties with the U.S. and Britain, and threatened to organize mass demonstrations in
frontofWesternconsulatesinIstanbul.
21. ProminentquotesregardingtheflotillatoGaza;
a. "We are determined to enter Gaza, no matter what." (During a press
conferencebeforethedepartureoftheshipfromAntalya,Turkey)
b. "TheflotillawillserveasatestforIsrael.IfIsraelresiststheflotilla,itwillbe
considered a declaration of war against the countries of origin of the
activists."(April7
th
,2010pressconferenceinIstanbul)
c. To Israel: "Manage this crisis well. If you prevent this activity, you will
remain isolated in the world and harm yourselves." (May 23
rd
, 2010
launchingceremonyoftheMaviMarmarainIstanbul).




June12
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,2011

d. "Bymorningwewillhaveawarofnerves.Therearepeopleherefromover
50 countries. If people are stopped, the honor of 50 countries will be
crushed. We want the entry to Israel's embassies in Istanbul and Ankara
locked. We will protect ourselves from here. We know this has a price and
we are willing to pay it" (Press conference held during preparations to
confronttheIDF)
e. "We must make a human chain and drop Israeli fighters back into the sea
with chains and sticks." (Briefing to his men before the IDF boarded the
ship)
f. "My dear brothers, with the help of Allah we are on our way and traveling.
Allahhasgivenusgreatresourcesandagreatblessing.Wearegoingdown
the road of just and righteous shahids." (Speech made during the flotilla,
footagefoundaboardtheMarmara)
g. "They'resoweakthatthey'vealreadybeendealingwithourflotillaforfour
or five days. They see themselves as a government but they aren't really.
Now they say that they will launch a fleet against us and commandos will
board the ship. We explain: if you let the commandos board, we will throw
you out and you will be humiliated in front of the whole world." (Speech
madeduringtheflotilla,footagefoundaboardtheMarmara)
h. "Theyaskedmeduringtheinvestigation'Didyouattackuswithmetalrods
and axes?' I answered, 'What I did was in self defense'. First our members
neutralizedtensoldiers,thenwetooktheirweapons.You'relegallyinnocent
if you take the weapon of someone who is attacking you." (June 4
th
, 2010
saidtoreportersattheIstanbulairportuponhisarrivaltoTurkey)
22. OnMarch31
st
,twomonthsbeforetheflotilla,BlentYildirimspokeina
neighborhoodinIstanbulinfrontofalargeaudience.Thespeechwasmadeasapart
oftheeventsof"DaysofSupportinIstanbulforalQuds"(March31
st
,2010,
http://www.rasthaber.com)
a. In a speech, Yildirim presented the IHH's extremist Islamic ideology, and
presentedtheIsraeliPalestinianconflict,especiallytheIsraeliHamasconflict,




June12
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,2011

asamicrocosmofawiderinternationalbattlewhereimperialandcolonialist
forceskillandoppressMuslimsaroundtheworld.
b. Yildirim presented the rise of Hamas to power (2006) as a democratic step
followingademocraticelection.HeclaimsthatasaresultofHamas'selection
to power, the entire world has unified against Hamas. He sees Hamas as a
victimofdestructiveworldforces,onceofthembeingIsrael.Thus,inhisview,
IsraelhasembargoedHamasand,inhiswords: "Mostoftheworld'scountries
havesupported[Israel]withoutmakingasound."
c. Yildirim presented Hamas as a movement with a different perspective,
"something that is outside the world order". He claims that Hamas is against
the "new world order" which is "colonialism, order, and exploitation." He
says: "They [the colonialist superpowers] exploit Africa, the countries of Asia,
the countries of Islam and while struggling amongst themselves, they take
Muslims as hostage." Yildirim stated that there was a war (Operation Cast
Lead) which Hamas and Palestine won. "The weakest people with the least
weaponsbeatoneofthestrongestarmiesintheworld."
d. Yildirim stated that "Now the U.S. supports this notion [that Gaza is governed
by terrorists], however, in contrast to the U.S.'s stance, there are still people
with a conscience in the world who wish to achieve justice by lifting the siege,
whichbringsusmanyrequestsbypeoplearoundtheworldtojointheflotilla."
e. IsraelhasbeenportrayedbyYildirimasacountrywhichiscrueltoMuslims:
"After Israel's latest madness, close a million people were uprooted from their
homes [referring to Operation Cast Lead]." He claims that Israel is dominated
by radicals which control 85 % of the cabinet. "Netanyahu is a
psychopathmost of the assassinations were made according to his orders,"
says Yildirim, and Netanyahu is not even the radical option. Yildirim added
thatthisgovernmentdoesnotgobyAmericanpolicy,butitsowncrazypolicy.
f. Duringhisspeech,YildirimemphasizestheimportanceofthealAqsamosque
forwhichMuslimsmustsacrificetheirlivesandproperty,andtheimportance
of control over Jerusalem. "If Muslims own alQuds (Jerusalem), Muslims can
control the world." He added, "Today the Jews, the Zionists, own Jerusalem. All




June12
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,2011

the suffering and evil in the world today are the result of that. That is why we
mustfreeJerusalem."
g. Yildirimstated:"OurpoweristheMuslimworld,Muslimunity."Heclaimedthat
if the Muslim world does not unite, "There is no way to save Gaza and
TurkistanthatborderswithChina."Hesaid,"Onceweremovethosewhooppose
ourway,wewillbethepopulationwiththegreatestreligiouspower."
23. YildirimaddressedtheVivaPalestinaaidconvoyonJanuary2010.Theconvoyended
withaviolentconfrontationwithEgyptiansecurityforces,inwhichheandotherIHH
memberswereinvolved."HereyouseewhathappenedinEgyptasaresultofattempts
tostopusfrombringingintheaidconvoy.TheentireMuslimworldwasunited.Atthat
moment, many countries express willingness to assist in the organization of another
convoy."
24. In order to demonstrate to his audience the dimensions of attacks against Muslims
throughouttheworld,Yildirimsaid:"Letuslookatallthewarintheworld.TheU.S.is
killingMuslims.Where?InAfghanistan.NATOiskillingMuslims.Where?InIraq.Russia
is killing Muslims. Where? In Chechneya. Israel is killing Muslims. Where? In Palestine.
Thailand kills Muslims in the Patani province. The Philippines are killing Muslims in
Morro Province. India kills Muslims in Kashmir. In Africa, all the wars are over but all
thedeadareMuslim.Allthekillersareimperialistforces."
25. Yildirimstated:"TheMuslimmancannotbedefeatedbyexploitersandheathens.When
do we feel defeated? The day we agree to be slaves of the West we taste failure. Today
thatisthesituationweexperienceinIraq,AfghanistanandChechnya.Withthehelpof
Allah, we will not allow this in Palestine because the true owners of Palestine are the
resistors."
26. Yildirim says that the Israeli siege on Gaza strengthens Hamas, or 'the resistance' as
hecallsit."WemustliftthesiegewhiletheroleofthepeopleinGazaistoempowerthe
resistance." Yildirim mentioned that he had been in been battlefields throughout the
worldbuthadseenthatthepeopleofGazaareunique."Theyneverbreaktheyshow
pictures of their friends and say, 'This is a shahid, this is a shahid, this one will be a
shahid.'




June12
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,2011

27. Yildirin said to his audience that currently a flotilla is being organized, the aim of
which is to isolate Israel. This objective will be achieved by entering Gaza even in
Israel tries to stop it. The organizers of the flotilla, he says, have everything to gain:
"Once we launch the flotilla we win." That is because, "Look, Israel loses Turkey and
Jordan,anditwillbeleftwithnofriendsinthearea."

The testimony of French Judge and Researcher, John Louis Bruigierre Regarding
InvolvementintheMillenniumBombingPlot
28. During the trial of alQaeda terrorist Ahmed Ressam in Los Angeles, the IHH
organizationwasmentionednumeroustimesasaidingthemembersoftheterrorcell
in acquiring forged documents. Yildirim was a member of this cell. IHH members
werealsorecipientsofmanyphonecallsmadebymembersofthealQaedacell.
29. BelowisatranslationofsegmentsofBruigieer'stestimony:

Q: What role, if any, did the organization called IHH play regarding the operation of
theMontrealcell?

A:Animportantrole.TheIHHisanNGO,butitwaskindofatypeofcoveruptothwart
theMoujadin.Atthesametime,inordertoobtainforgeddocumentsandalsotoobtain
differentformsofinfiltrationforMoujadinincombat.Andalsotogoandgatherthese
Moujadines.Andfinally,oneofthelastresponsibilitiesthattheyhadwasalsotobe
implicatedorinvolvedinweaponstrafficking.

Q:HowdoesthisrelatetotheMontrealcell,ifitdoes?

A: The link is actually related. There's a rather close relation. It was determined that
Khabu, as you already know, had left for Canada in order to find forged to seek forged




June12
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,2011

passports. And he actually carried these forged documents to the IHH namely for another
member as well. In addition, with regard to Khabu, in addition to the testimony and in
addition to other documents that we had gathered, there were also other calls. And there
were actually different calls that crossed between Canada and Turkey and Istanbul where
theIHHislocated.

Q: You indicated in one of your previous answers that you considered Adel
Boumezbeur'saddresstobeaconspiratorialflat.Whatbroughtyoutothatconclusion?

A:Itseemsthatfromthisveryapartmentthere werealotoftelephonecallscarried
out and made to all sorts of countries. Particularly, Turkey and Istanbul and I'm talking
abouttheIHH.

30. Additionally,onJune3
rd
,2010,BruguirewasinterviewedbytheAPnewsagencyin
regards to the IHH's connections to worldwide jihad. He said that in spite of the
difficulty in gathering proof, all the components of the investigation prove that at
leastpartoftheIHH'sactivitieswereacoverforjihadistactivityandthatsomeofthe
organization's work did not deal with charity, but was rather a pipe of money
transferstoterroristoperatives.Bruguireaddedthatheisconvincedthatthiswasa
clear,wellknownstrategyfortheIHH.Hefurtheremphasizedthattheconnectionto
terroroperativeswascloseknit andextensive,soitseemsunlikelythattheheadsof
theorganizationwereunaware.
31. BruguiresaidthattheIHHhadlongstandingconnectionstoterrorismwhichbegan
whenalQaedaandOsamabinLadenfirsttookinterestinexecutingterrorattackson
US soil. Bruguire added that several members of the Jihadist cell linked with al
QaedaandbasedinMontreal,Canada,operatedfortheIHHduringthelate90s.

,

"