The center sent the warning to Inmarsat and its senior corporate
officers in Britain and the United States. Under U.S. law, the letter said,
Inmarsat and its officers could be open to charges of aiding and abetting
terrorism if it provides satellite services to the Gaza-bound ships, Middle East Newsline reported.
Inmarsat has been identified as the main provider of maritime
communication services. The company was said to have provided services to
the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, intercepted by the Israel Navy in May 2010
on its way to break the siege on the Gaza Strip.
"If Inmarsat continues to provide communication services to the Mavi
Marmara during the upcoming flotilla, Inmarsat and its corporate officers
will be in violation of U.S. criminal statutes prohibiting the provision of
material support for acts of violence and terrorism and the provision of
material support for naval expeditions against U.S. allies and will also be
held civilly liable for any damages or harm caused by participants in the
flotilla," the center said.
The naval operation, which encountered heavy resistance, resulted in the
killing of nine Mavi passengers. Mavi was expected to lead the forthcoming
flotilla to the Gaza Strip, ruled by Hamas, a group deemed terrorist by the
European Union and the United States.
"We don’t want bloodshed on the sea again," Ms. Darshan-Leitner said.
"The private legal sector can help the government prevent terrorism."
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