Volunteer: 'Israelis had a list of activists to be killed'

One of 12 Malaysian volunteers who returned home today after being released from Israeli custody claimed today to have proof that the Israeli soldiers who boarded the Mavi Marmara had targeted to kill a number of activists on board the Turkish-owned ship.

Speaking to reporters after arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 5.40am this morning, Lifeline4Gaza mission head Noorazman Mohd Samsuddin said three fellow-Malaysian activists, Abdul Halim Mohd Redzuan, Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus and Jamuliddin Elias, were shot at with rubber bullets which hit their heads and bodies.

But the use of rubber bullets on others was just a cover by the Israel authorities. Other soldiers used real bullets to eliminate a predetermined number of activists, said Noorazman.

"I have proof that they had intention to kill. Claiming that they were using rubber bullets was just an excuse. They already had a list of people whom they wanted to kill, (before) landing on the ship.

"We managed to capture three of the soldiers and upon searching them, found the list with pictures of those who they had wanted to kill.

"Some of them are Turkish and international figures… very important figures to the world," Noorazman was reported as saying by Bernama .

"We are not in the list that is why we were not shot. We are just ordinary people. One Turkish from the media (who was) killed, was on the list," he added.

'Early release unexpected'

Noorazaman hoped the media would pressure Israel to deliver the humanitarian aid that had been on the Mavi Marmara to the people of Gaza through the United Nations.

"During the attack some of the media personnel on board showed strong determination and fighting spirit, although it rained bullets. One Indonesian reporter, known as Suria, continued to record the incident despite being shot in the right. But the recordings were later seized," he said.

In the Monday incident, the Turkish aid ship, which was carrying about 700 volunteers and activists from other countries as well as medical supplies, was raided by Israeli naval forces, resulting in the death of at least nine activists.

The Malaysian volunteers on board were unharmed but were detained by the Israeli forces and taken to Port Ashdod in Israel before being transported to Amman, Jordan.

Describing his thoughts and those of fellow-detainees during their detention in Israel, Noorazman said: "We did not expect to be out of Israel early."

"We were bracing for a month or two in prison or even a year or two... We were totally isolated from the outside world and not allowed to communicate with anyone. We could only see delegation members from the embassy of other countries entering the prison.

"We knew there will not be anyone from the Malaysian Embassy since we do not have any diplomatic relations with Israel," said Noorazman, who arrived with 11 other volunteers.

"On behalf of the members, I wish to thank the government, Wisma Putra, Malaysian Embassy in Jordan for making it possible. But truly we are not the heroes, the real heroes are those who prayed for our release," he said.