<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[US captain of Gaza ship held in &#8216;shocking conditions&#8217;]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Published today (updated) 03/07/2011 21:01<br />
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/www.maannews.net/images/345x230/135967_345x230.jpg" alt="" /><br />
Israeli left-wing protesters hold signs during a demonstration against the Greek authorities&#8217; decision to ban a Gaza-bound flotilla from setting sail outside the<br />
Greek embassy in Tel Aviv. Jumpy activists on the ill-fated mission to Gaza insist the evidence is mounting that Israeli secret services are behind the slew of<br />
mishaps that have dogged the flotilla. [AFP/David Buimovitch]</p>
<p>ATHENS (AFP) &#8212; The captain of a US vessel intercepted after it tried to defy a ban and sail for Gaza from Greece was being held in &#8220;shocking conditions&#8221; Sunday and has not received consular assistance, a lawyer said.</p>
<p>Captain John Klusmer was arrested when the US boat Audacity of Hope &#8212; the flagship in a flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists &#8212; attempted to leave Greek waters on Friday after Athens banned all Gaza-bound ships from setting sail.</p>
<p>Klusmer was charged with two felonies and ordered to appear in court Tuesday. The US Boat to Gaza organization said he was being held in jail in &#8220;shocking conditions&#8221; and as far as it was aware, had not yet received consular assistance.</p>
<p>New York lawyer Richard Levy &#8212; a passenger on the boat who has visited Klusmer in jail in a port town near Athens &#8212; told enraged US activists that &#8220;he had no bed or toilet in his cell, and is receiving no food or water&#8221;.</p>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve offered to pay his bail,&#8221; said passenger Robert Naiman, from the Washington-based Just Foreign Policy organization. &#8220;But we have had no indication at all that he will be allowed out of jail before Tuesday.&#8221;</p>
<p>The US embassy in Athens was not available for comment.</p>
<p>The Audacity of Hope &#8212; which was carrying 3,000 letters of support for Palestinians &#8212; set sail without warning, leaving behind nine other ships that had hoped to sail together to challenge Israel&#8217;s naval blockade on Gaza.</p>
<p>It was quickly intercepted by a coastguard vessel with masked, armed men on board. After a stand-off, the boat turned back to a small naval port.</p>
<p>Passengers were free to go but initially chose to stay on board in defiance of the Greek authorities.</p>
<p>Sunday morning they were back in Athens to &#8220;do what we can to help the captain&#8221;, including &#8220;reaching out to members of the US Congress&#8221; for help in getting Klusmer released or improving the conditions in which he is held.</p>
<p>The flotilla has been beset with bureaucratic problems and two cases of &#8220;sabotage&#8221; over the last week and only four of the initial 10 boats &#8212; two French, one Spanish and one Canadian &#8212; were in the running Sunday.</p>
<p>Organizers said three of the boats planned to set sail Monday morning, despite the Greek ban which is in place &#8220;until further notice&#8221;. Activists said they were &#8220;resigned&#8221; to being intercepted by the coastguard.</p>
<p>A fourth boat, the French Dignity, was going to attempt to sail Sunday, but was thought to be heading for Crete, not Gaza.</p>
<p>The ships will be sailing illegally because they have not resolved a series of bureaucratic issues and some have had key documents confiscated by the Greek authorities.</p>
<p>Israel credited its &#8220;diplomatic efforts&#8221; for the delays and setbacks that have kept the vessels grounded.</p>
<p>&#8220;I welcome all the efforts that have been made to stop the flotilla,&#8221; Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday.</p>
<p>&#8220;The success&#8230; is the fruit of intensive contacts with states in the region and the international community,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=401973">Source</a></p>
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