Fears for Med massacre girl

NO contact . . . Oldham worker Paveen Yaqub

Oldham worker caught in deadly Israeli assault on Gaza aid flotilla

FEARS were growing today for the safety of an Oldham worker caught up in the deadly assault on a Gaza–bound aid flotilla.

Paveen Yaqub, who works as a manager at Oldham SureStart, is believed to have been volunteering on the flotilla which came under attack by Israeli forces.

Her name has appeared on an unconfirmed list of 19 of people, released by The Muslim News website, believed to have been killed.

At least nine people have been confirmed dead after Israeli forces attacked the pro–Palestinian flotilla, which left Cyprus on Sunday and was due to arrive in Gaza yesterday, defying a block on humanitarian assistance.

Medlock Vale councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman, who knows Paveen through her work with various voluntary and charity groups in Oldham, said: “Paveen has been emailing all her friends while she has been away on this mission.

“I last heard from her three days ago when she was getting ready to leave Turkey.

“She said she was enjoying the trip and she was urging everyone to donate to charity.

“Paveen did a lot of work with Oldham Race Equality Partnership and with a group to promote equality for ethnic minority workers within Oldham Council.

“Paveen is a very active woman who loves doing things for others.

“I am lost for words and hope she is okay.”

Fazal Rahim, from Oldham Interfaith Forum, said Paveen, who has a house in Marsden, West Yorkshire, was well known in Oldham and socialised in the borough.

He said: “We are aware that she is part of the flotilla, and her colleagues are worried about her.

“The last we heard from her was via an email just before the flotilla set off, we know she was looking forward to volunteering.

“Since then we’ve heard nothing, people are worried.”

Oldham’s deputy council leader, Councillor Jackie Stanton, said: “We are currently trying to obtain further information regarding Paveen.

“Our thoughts go to Paveen and her family and we hope she is safe and well.”

It is believed that as many as 28 people from the UK were taking part in the aid effort when it came under fire.

Foreign Office sources said many of those detained had refused to give their names to the Israelis, making it hard to give firm numbers of Britons involved.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they hadn’t had any confirmation that any British nationals had been killed but said that one British national had received medical treatment for injuries.

Israel insists its forces retaliated against an attack by people on board armed with weapons including knives and guns, but activists said the commandoes were shooting as they boarded.

Several British nationals have been detained by Israeli authorities following the assault on a Gaza–bound aid flotilla, the Foreign Office said today.

Consulate officials were “urgently seeking access” to the Britons being held in the the town of Be’er Sheva.

The UN Security Council has also called for the immediate release of all the ships and citizens detained by the Israeli authorities.