9 bodies arrive in Turkey

Published today (updated) 03/06/2010 16:18

Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies -

The Turkish Daily News said Thursday that nine bodies were aboard the first plane returning from Tel Aviv, carrying the first of the activists deported by Israel.

Agence France Presse said four of the bodies had been definitively identified as Turkish nationals, but a Turkish official told the Daily News that he could not confirm the report, or identifiy the nationalities of the other dead.

On Wednesday, Turkish planes landed in Ankara, the paper reported carrying a Turkish man and a second Irish man into the country, where both were treated for serious injuries sustained at the hands of Israeli commandos who boarded aid ships flying under Turkish flags en route to Gaza.

"They faced barbarism and oppression but returned with pride," Deputy Turkish Prime Minister Bülent Ar?nç was quoted as saying on the arrival of the first aircraft.

Turkey's NTV television said that earlier on Thursday three air ambulances carrying wounded activists landed in Ankara earlier. They were bused to a medical center to undergo treatment.

The Daily News said the information was compiled from half a dozen reports from AP, AFP, Reuters and local agencies, as Israeli authorities continue to refuse requests by the international community and on Tuesday the United Nations Security Council officially called on Israel to release information to the consulates of nationals detained, injured and slain. Israel has yet to comply.

Reports said most of the some 700 activists were deported by Thrusday morning, with 527 activists flown out to Turkey and Greece, according to Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad, who noted 7 otherss remained in Israeli hospitals and three from Ireland, Australia and Italy in detention over "documentation and other issues."

The dead have so far been identified as:

Ibrahim Bilgen, mayoral candidate from the Saadet for the Felicity Party in March 2009

Çetin Topçuolu, 54

Ali Haydar Bengi, father of four

Cevdet Klçlar, a member of the Turkish organizing body for the flotilla IHH.

Three Planes Carrying Turkish Activists Land In Istanbul

Thursday June 03, 2010 03:39 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Three Turkish ships, carrying hundreds of human rights activists who were kidnapped and attacked by the Israeli terrorist army, during the illegal Israeli attack against the Freedom Flotilla heading to Gaza, landed in Istanbul on Thursday at dawn.

Some 466 activists, mainly from Turkey, were on board the planes that belong to the Turkish airlines.

The bodies of nine activists, including four from Turkey, were also on the planes. Dozens of wounded, including at least three who are in serious conditions, are currently being moved to hospitals in Turkey.

During their Thursday meeting, Arab Foreign Ministers slammed the deadly Israeli attack against the nonviolent humanitarian ships, and decided to move the file to Gaza siege to the Security Council.

Furthermore, the Turkish parliament demanded the country to take practical measures against Israeli for attacking the nonviolent activists, killing and wounded dozens of them in international waters.

They also decided to discuss the file of the Arab Peace Initiative during the upcoming meeting of Arab leaders.

On Thursday, Israel decided to release 210 Turkish nationals who were onboard the Freedom Flotilla. the activists were detained at the Be’er Sheva detention camp.

They were moved to the Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv, boarded on Turkish planes and were deported to Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, stated Thursday that “on the psychological level, the Israeli attack against nonviolent solidarity ships is like 9/11 for Turkey”.

He made his statements in Washington during talks with US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.

Davutoglu told Clinton that his country is not satisfied with the American stance regarding Israel’s attack against the humanitarian ships.

The United States only said that is “regrets the loss of life aboard the Freedom Flotilla.”

Also on Thursday, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, stated that the response to the Israeli massacre against the solidarity ships is by national unity and reconciliation.

The Hamas movement said that Abbas’ statements are empty as his forces are ongoing with their arrest campaign against Hamas members and supporters.