Gaza Humanitarian Aid Siezed Under UK Anti-Terror Laws

Gaza Humanitarian Aid Siezed Under UK Anti-Terror Laws

news.bbc.co.uk

About 20 vehicles from the Birmingham area have started a 5,000-mile journey to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I just heard on the radio that some vehicle seized by police this morning on the M60 motorway were part of this aid convoy setting off for Gaza. There is no mention of it on the internet and I wonder whether anyone else can help in finding details about this developing incident. The anti-terror laws allow seizing and detainment for up to 2 months as far as I can remember, rather shocking if you think about the needs of those in the Gaza 'concentration camps'.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

All i can find are news articles about Hamas seizing supplies for themselves.
Which is bad enough as it is.

But nothing so far on what you heard.

Here is a little something:

news.bbc.co.uk...

Police have confirmed the vehicles were meant to be part of the Gaza aid convoy which left London earlier.

Five houses are being searched in Burnley after nine men were arrested by counter-terrorism police.

The nine were arrested when several vehicles were stopped on the M65 near Preston on Friday night, but six were later released without charge.

The arrests were made in a joint operation between Lancashire Police and the North West Counter Terrorism Unit.

Police have confirmed the vehicles were meant to be part of the Gaza aid convoy which left London earlier.

More than 100 vehicles are taking more than £1m worth of aid, including trucks full of medicines, tools, clothes, blankets and shoe boxes as well as gifts for children.

The mission is organised by umbrella body Viva Palestina and backed by Muslim groups.

Lancashire Police said officers were in the Burnley area where the searches were being carried out and residents living nearby would be kept informed.

Source

Here is the page of one of the group organising the aid:

viva palestina

The convoy includes a fire engine, 12 ambulances, a boat and trucks filled with medicines, cash, tools, clothes, blankets, and shoe-boxes filled with gifts for children. All this and more has been by donated by communities across the country.

George Galloway said, “No-one will send a vehicle that is not filled with items including pyjamas, clothes and blankets. Millions of people in this country care deeply, and we are going to show that.”

George Galloway being involved makes you wonder, but if those arrested are from the Birmingham area they have had their fair share of anti-terrorist police activity over the last few years.


[edit on 14-2-2009 by BigC2012]

[edit on 14-2-2009 by BigC2012]

I am surprised that this isn't being discussed more. Could there be an effort to make the public link aid with terrorism and weapons smuggling, dehumanising the innocent victims still suffering in Gaza?

The people of Gaza are still suffering tremendous misery and wasnt an aid ship not allowed to enter a while back also? Couple this with the Hamas story about them taking aid which halted UN efforts to allow aid in it all seems very desperate.

reply to post by BigC2012


As the zionists blockade aid to Gaza with their warships, the british police illegaly blockade the aid here on our motorways. This act surely makes them accessories to the crimes against humanity committed by america and israel.

Does anyone know where the abductee's are being illegaly held?

Here is an update from one of the people taking part in the trip:

"A group who were carrying aid from communities in Blackburn were stopped by police shortly after they set off from their homes in the North of England but despite hysterical headlines in the tabloid media most have now been released and we're told there are efforts by Manchester police to reunite the group with the convoy."

source

There is to be a continual blog of the jouney on the web site too.

I just hope the trip goes well and isnt further shadowed by bad news about terrorism or terror links to legitimate aid. Maybe good will prevail!

Well, without any fanfare - what a surprise - all 3 "suspects" arrested have been released without charge. Where was the news coverage of this?

www.lancashire.police.uk...

I thought at the time that this was nothing more than a cynical attempt to link terrorists to an aid convoy for Gazans. With the muted release of the arrested men I am thinking even more that this was a set up from the very start.
Arrest the men, with all the associated news coverage and links to the Gaza aid convoy, then quietly let them go again, having planted the seed of suspicion in peoples minds.

Now then, I wonder who exactly was behind this blatant piece of political game playing?