Gaza Flotilla (Mavi Marmara) Crew Might be Felons under U.S. Law

GLOBAL WAR ON TERRIORISM

AMERICA AND ISRAEL - FIGHTING WAR AGAINST TERRORISM

Try disobeying (let alone attacking) the U.S. Coast Guard and see what happens to you.

Israpundit

by Bill Levinson

We will let U.S. Code Title 18 (Crimes) speak for itself on the behavior of personnel aboard the Mavi Marmara when it was boarded by Israeli security personnel. Here is what might have happened to them had they done what they did with the U.S. Coast Guard.
§ 2237. Criminal sanctions for failure to heave to, obstruction of boarding, or providing false information

(1) It shall be unlawful for the master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel of the United States, or a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to knowingly fail to obey an order by an authorized Federal law enforcement officer to heave to [stop] that vessel. [The Mavi Marmara ignored repeated orders to stop.] (2) It shall be unlawful for any person on board a vessel of the United States, or a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to— (A) forcibly resist, oppose, prevent, impede, intimidate, or interfere with a boarding or other law enforcement action authorized by any Federal law or to resist a lawful arrest; or [which the Mari Marmara's personnel did] (B) provide materially false information to a Federal law enforcement officer during a boarding of a vessel regarding the vessel’s destination, origin, ownership, registration, nationality, cargo, or crew. (b) Any person who intentionally violates this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. [A crime punishable by 5 years is a felony.]

§ 111. Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees

(a) In General.— Whoever— (1) forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person designated in section 1114 of this title while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties; or (2) forcibly assaults or intimidates any person who formerly served as a person designated in section 1114 on account of the performance of official duties during such person’s term of service, shall, where the acts in violation of this section constitute only simple assault, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, and where such acts involve physical contact with the victim of that assault or the intent to commit another felony, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both. (b) Enhanced Penalty.— Whoever, in the commission of any acts described in subsection (a), uses a deadly or dangerous weapon (including a weapon intended to cause death or danger but that fails to do so by reason of a defective component) or inflicts bodily injury, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

The firebombs and metal bars that the Mavi Marmara’s personnel used on the Israelis qualify as “deadly and dangerous weapons” and, had they used them against sailors of the U.S. Coast Guard in this manner, would have resulted in up to 20 years in prison. This reinforces our conclusion that the personnel of the Mavi Marmara committed numerous actions that, had they taken place under the jurisdiction of the United States, resulted in felony prosecution and imprisonment upon conviction. From where we sit, Israel made a serious mistake in releasing a large number of common criminals (assuming that Israel has similar laws) instead of prosecuting them as such.

Posted by Bill Levinson @ 11:33 pm

My note:

An old saying "Do as I say, not at I do" ... Israel, you need to present your case before the world in the same manner and under the same premise as the United States.  Your laws and purpose for the blockade should not be second-guessed by any democracy fighting this war against terrorism.  

Bee Sting