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I was then put into a small cell measuring maybe five feet by seven feet with a small basin and a open toilet. All these were squeezed into that small space: Renowned International Lawyer and Scholar, Mathias Chang.

August 01, 2010 (Hamsayeh.Net) - The following texts are separate testimonies by three of the activists onboard Rachel Corrie MV humanitarian flotilla to Gaza, which came under a fierce Israeli military attack on June 05, while still sailing in international waters. The Three internationally renowned activists include jenny Graham of Ireland, Lawyer and Scholar Mathias Chang from Malaysia and Derek Graham also an Irish citizen. 

A full report on Rachel Corrie MV can be viewed at Future Fast Forward.

Testimonies

Jenny Graham ( 1 of 3 Irish female citizens)

As male and female were all separated, Jenny Graham, Fiona Thompson and Mairead Maguire were all taken to one cell. A 4 bed cell with a toilet area. Mrs Maguire asked for her medication but did not receive such until asking for it again the following morning.  

We were allowed a consular visit the following day in which we agreed to and were given details of our repatriation back to Ireland by the Irish government once we were assured that all passengers and crew aboard apart from the Irish were already being repatriated. We were then taken back to our cells and at a later stage we were allowed a 10 minute break outside. At approx 8pm on Sunday night, we were taken to the airport where we were once again searched and luggage searched and processed for flights. We were taken to holding cells, of an even lower standard than before and detained there until 4am when we were collected along with Derek Graham and Denis Haliday, (Irish citizens ) and brought back to the airport where we boarded a flight for Frankfurt and then a connecting flight to Ireland.  

 Matthias Chang ( 1 of 6 Malaysian citizen )  

1 ) While we were being processed, ( after thumb print and photos were taken ) I was brought to a cubicle as were all of us. I informed the Israeli officer, a female that I was an experienced lawyer of 34 years standing and would not answer any questions until and unless I had a lawyer well versed in Israeli laws and Consular representations from

Ireland and or Thailand as my government had made such request, as we do not have any diplomatic relations. She did not ask any questions.  

2 ) Israeli officer showed me an English statement enumerating my rights, specifically my entitlement to legal representation.  

3 ) After verifying my particulars, I returned to my seat outside the main hall where we were all gathered. The whole process did not take more than 5 minutes at the most.  

4 ) When Halim was hauled up to be questioned, I was brought to his cubicle to be his interpreter. An Israeli officer, also female asked two questions -whether he knew that there was a blockade and whether he was heading to Gaza. To both questions, and after translating the same to Halim, I informed the Israeli officer that he would not answer unless in the presence of a lawyer and Consular representation. The said officer lost her temper shouted loudly for us to get out of her cubicle. She did not even verify Halim's details, as it was obvious she was already entering the data into the computer from the photocopy of the passport. The whole episode lasted no more than 2 minutes at the most. We then returned to the main hall.  

5 ) While still waiting at the main hall, three officers called out my name. I approached them. They showed me a piece of paper which each of the Malay members of our team were carrying, on which was written their names, the name of the Israeli lawyer and my name as "the interpreter."  

6 ) They asked me to confirm that I had written the information on the piece of paper and accused me of being the leader of the team and that as a result of my instructions there was no cooperation with the officers. I was therefore obstructing and interfering with an official criminal investigation. They then said that I would be charged immediately

and be brought before a court the next day. But I would be taken to a prison immediately. They ushered me out of the hall.  

7 ) I was asked to take my small bag and accompany the three officers to a underground / basement car park. I was put into a sedan accompanied by the said officers.  

8 ) During the drive, I was told that I would be charged and others would be set free and that I had better cooperate as it would serve no purpose to be in an Israeli prison. I responded that I did not wish to come to Israel but was hijacked, and now since I am forced to stay in Israel, I shall try to enjoy its "hospitality." They were very annoyed. I insisted on seeing the Israeli lawyer, whose name was given to us by FGM in Cyprus by Greta and Audrey.  

9 ) They replied and mockingly asked how I could trust an Israeli lawyer. I replied that if the lawyers in Israel are professional lawyers and trained properly as lawyers they would defend my human rights and fight against injustice as expected of any decent lawyer. However, if they were to betray that trust, then Israeli lawyers are mere goons and puppets and this would expose Israel's boast that they have a fair system of justice. I told them I was prepared to find out about Israeli lawyers. I believe that they were cofounded by my answers. Whenever I meet an officer, I would greet them with "Shalom" and they would be quite confused by that gesture. maybe they were expecting that I would be cursing them.  

10 ) While driving to the detention centre, they repeatedly told me that I would be incarcerated for a very long time. I just ignored them and was paying attention to all the road signages. By the signage ’ s I knew that I was being brought to a detention centre near the airport.  

11 ) I was the first to be brought to the detention centre as when I was asked for my particulars again, I enquired and was told that I was the first to be brought there.  

12 ) I was then put into a small cell measuring maybe five feet by seven feet with a small basin and a open toilet. All these were squeezed into that small space. It has a small window that overlooked the small compound which leads to the main entrance of the detention centre where subsequent coaches carrying all of you were parked. I saw each of you entering the detention centre.  

13 ) I remained in solitary until I was brought out to meet the Thai Embassy officials and later the Irish Ambassador.  

14 ) After signing the deportation forms with the rest of the team ( i.e. Irish and Malaysian ) and having obtained an assurances from the Israelis that there will be no formal charges against all of us, I was sent back to the small cell alone while the rest was brought to two large cells, one having 14 bunks and another having six bunks. Derek and Shamsul stayed in the smaller cell while the rest were kept in the bigger cell.  

15 ) I do not know what time, but later officers came to my cell and told me that I would be transferred to join the rest of the team. I was then placed in the cell with Derek and Shamsul.  

Next morning we were told to board a coach and were taken to the check point at Allenby Bridge. We then crossed over to Jordan and drove on to Amman and that night itself ( at 2 am ) we boarded Air Jordan for a direct flight to KL.  

Derek Graham, ( 1 of 2 Irish male Citizens)  

I was last to be taken off the ship after having to show the commandos how to use the winches to open the cargo hatches, which were still sealed with security tags in place since Ireland. As with the others, I was searched at Ashdod, taken to a processing centre where I was finger printed, photographed and questioned again. We were all taken separately to a smaller room for interrogation by the IDF intelligence unit. A lot of questions posed to me involved a captain/crew meeting I had attended in Istanbul in turkey earlier in May 2010.  

I was asked if the “ Rachel Corrie “ was part of the freedom flotilla, what we had heard regarding the Mavi Marmara, had we seen any footage from Mavi Marmara, would there be other another flotilla and were we planning to continue running ships to Gaza?  

With regards to the meeting in Istanbul, they asked what building the meeting was held in, what were the names of the captains and crew of each of the other ships in the flotilla. I answered that I did not know any names and that I took no notice of what building I attended the meeting in.  

On arrival at Ben Gurion detention centre, we met with the Irish ambassador to Israel as well as our Irish consulate. They allowed those of us who wished to call home to do so. All of us were placed in to cells together apart from our Irish female colleagues which included my wife.  

After the captain, crew and Malaysian colleagues were repatriated, the Irish all accepted repatriation from the Irish government. Detention in Ben Gurion was basic, food consisted of tap water and sandwiches and a cigarette break outside.  

At one stage, a sergeant from the IAF came to my cell window to do a radio interview, during the questions , an Israeli prison officer arrived and demanded the interview be stopped and the tape be handed over, although the IAF refused to hand over the tape.  

Rachel Corrie MV, was named after a young American activist who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer as she tried to prevent destruction of a Palestinian home.

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