Chicagoan Among Humanitarian Activists Arrested In Flotilla Raid

By aaroncynic in News on Jun 1, 2010 9:20PM

A Chicagoan was taken into custody by Israeli forces over the weekend in a deadly IDF raid on a humanitarian flotilla to Gaza. The Tribune reports Fatima Mohammadi, a South Shore resident, was arrested when Israeli troops raided six ships carrying 700 activists and 10,000 tons of aid bound for Gaza. Nine people were killed in the raid, dozens were injured and more than 600 were arrested when commandos boarded the boats in international waters.

Israel has defended its actions, saying that the troops conducting the raid fired in self defense after activists on the boat fought against the attacking commandos. The Israeli government maintains the raids were conducted in defense of a legal blockade. The few activists that have been released or allowed to speak out of the hundreds arrested have claimed Israeli troops as the aggressors. In response, the prime minister of Turkey called for Israel to be punished and Egypt lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In an interview with CNN, Mohammadi’s mother said “Going to Gaza the first time, she saw the mothers with children that had been killed and the conditions they lived in…She wanted to help the people.” The State Department informed her family that she will return to the United States in a few days.