At least three american members of a protest group seeking to bring world attention and material aid to a evolving humanitarian catastrophe were abducted at sea tuesday by the special forces of a foreign country, their belongings confiscated, forcibly transported across international boundaries, and are now held in a prison bloc.
According to the passenger list, the americans are reported to be:
Kathy Sheetz (US)
62, United States
Kathy spent the last 12 years on grassroots and human rights organizing in Haiti. She has a Masters in Sustainable Development in Southeast Asian Countries.
A retired nurse, Kathy was on the first voyage in August 2008 and plans on going to the West Bank for six months to work after this trip. She is grandmother to five girls
Adam Shapiro (US)
Tuesday, 23 June 2009 16:49
37, United States
Adam is a documentary filmmaker, human rights activist and Palestinian rights activist. His latest film is a documentary series on Palestinian refugees all over the world called "Chronicles of a Refugee," which was broadcast on Al-Jazeera Documentary Channel in May 2009. His films have screened in hundreds of film festivals all over the world and have been broadcast on television in the Middle East, Europe and the US. He previously served as Country Director in Afghanistan for the internationally renowned human rights organization, Global Rights.
Adam holds a MA in Politics from New York University and a MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University. In Palestine, Adam was a co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement and lived and worked in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for three years.
Free Gaza Passenger list
And a former US congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney.
Some of the 21 members of the crew have been repatriated, but the Americans are still imprisoned. The Irish government continues to work for the release of their citizens.
The US State department appears to be on Vacation, when queried about the abduction, the State Department spokesman referred reporters to the foreign government for further information.
There is some debate on if the abductees had entered the jurisdiction of the foreign country.
They are expected to see a judge today.