Britons seized by Israel 'accounted for'

  • 14 years ago

All Britons held after Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have been accounted for, the Government has said.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said 34 activists were on board the boats - not 37 as previously thought - all but two of whom had been sent to Turkey, where the convoy departed from.

One was deported directly to the UK and another with dual nationality released to family in Israel.

Among the first to arrive back from Istanbul was Sarah Colborne, who said activists' rights had been violated and the deaths should act as a "wake-up call" for the world.

Still dressed in an Israeli prison uniform, she told a press conference: "We are hoping that the deaths, the horrific deaths of the people, will not be in vain."

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said it believed some of the Britons sent to Turkey had stayed there to take part in funerals of the victims - who were all Turkish or of Turkish origin. Many are expected to return to the UK on Friday, a spokeswoman said.