SEPANG: All detained participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla including Malaysians are believed to be safe according to the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre director-general.
Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby stated that the activists are currently being held on board their respective vessels.
SNCC confirmed through radio communications that the Israeli military had instructed the ship to alter its course from Gaza to an unverified location.
He expressed confidence that all delegates are being treated well based on direct communications with Malaysian participants and other international delegates.
Sani Araby revealed that as of 10.44 am Malaysian time, Israeli forces had intercepted 14 out of 44 flotilla vessels.
A total of 201 participants from the 497 aboard including 12 Malaysians are believed to have been detained during the interception.
Sani Araby identified the detained individuals as Muhammad Haikal Abdullah, Muhammad Muaz Zainal Abiddin, Mohammad Zulfadhli Khiruddin and Mohd Rusydi Ramli from the Sirius vessel.
He further confirmed Ahmad Musa Alnuwayri Kamaruzaman, IIylia Balqis Suhaimi and Sul Aidil Sudi were detained from the Alma vessel, while Nur Fazelah Mad Tahil, also known as Zizi Kirana, was taken from the Huga.
Danish Nazran Murad and Nurfarahin Romli, better known as Farah Lee, were detained from the Grande Blu vessel during the interception.
Singer Nur Heliza Helmi and her sister Nur Hazwani Afiqah were also detained from the Hio vessel as part of the same operation.
Sani Araby noted that several other intercepted vessels carried no Malaysian citizens aboard.
These included the Adara, Spectre, Deir Yassin Mali, Yulara, Aurora, Otaria, Morgana, Seulle and Mohammad Bhar vessels.
He expressed concern about two Malaysians who remain uncontactable since the interception began.
Nurul Hidayah Mohd Amin, also known as Ardell Aryana from the Mikeno vessel, and Razali Awang from the Inana vessel have not been reachable.
The committee reported that approximately ten Israeli military vessels intimidated the Gaza Freedom Flotilla starting at 1.20 am today.
This intimidation occurred in international waters approximately eighty nautical miles from Gaza.
Sani Araby confirmed that Israeli military forces used water cannons during their provocation against the flotilla.
He added that Israeli forces disrupted and blocked all communication channels, including CCTV and radio transmissions.
The Gaza Freedom Flotilla legal team, comprising lawyers from forty-five countries, is now on standby to respond to these developments.
The flotilla secretariat has appointed the Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel as the official legal representative for detained Malaysian participants.
Sani Araby urged Malaysians to continue providing moral support and to rely only on verified information.
He warned that unauthentic information would serve Zionist propaganda and create false narratives about the situation.
The committee will hold press conferences three times daily at 10 am, 3 pm and 9 pm starting today to provide updates. – Bernama