Italian flotilla journalist: My credit card was used after IDF confiscated it

An Italian journalist who was detained by the Israel Defense Forces following the raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla says his credit card was used to purchase items after it was confiscated by the Israeli authorities.

Mentioned in article is journalist Manolo Luppichini has written Netanyahu, Peres, Barak, Lieberman and Israel's ambassador in Italy over the matter.

Manolo Luppichini was aboard the Sfintoni-8000, one of the smaller boats in the flotilla, when the naval commandos took it over. [...]

"Afterward they took my wallet, passport, bag and all personal effects on the boat," he says.

Luppichini was taken to Ashdod port and then transferred to a Be'er Sheva prison compound, where he says he received a form saying his passport had been impounded.

On June 2 he was taken to an Immigration Authority compound and on the following day was deported. Although he showed the document proving Israel had confiscated his passport, he says he was deported without receiving any of his property or identification papers back.[...]

A few days ago Luppichini discovered that while he was confined in Be'er Sheva and after he was back in Italy - a day after his deportation - purchases were made with his credit card, which the Israeli authorities had confiscated.

One purchase was from a vending machine in Tel Aviv for about NIS 10 on June 2, he says. Another purchase, for NIS 240, was made in Gedera's Village Market - while Luppichini himself was in Bologna, Italy.

"The sums were not large," he says, "among other things because it's a rechargeable credit card that had only 80 euros on it. But in principle it's theft, for all intents and purposes."

Luppichini says he wants to know who used his credit card, along with why and how. He is also demanding that all of his equipment be returned to him immediately.

The IDF spokesman released a statement saying that the flotilla passengers' personal belongings had been loaded onto the Turkish planes on which they were flown out of the country.

Italian flotilla journalist: My credit card was used after IDF confiscated it

There was not much money on the card but the journalist is correct. It's all about intent and here it is theft. The IDF spokesman said they handed the items over to Turkey but how do you explain the use of credit card in Gedera Village in Israel.

It's bloody shame that international activist who go into so much trouble collecting aid, arranging trip are also being robbed of their money.

Its possible that his card was used by someone else, or he knows the card number and made purchases with the card number to make it look like the Israelis where stealing his money.

I have my card number memorized for emergencies when I need it but don't have it.

Not saying that's what happened but it is possible.

SM

Not surprised.. Someone will probably use passports with names of the flotilla members when they commit their next crimes.. Copies were most likely made of all the passports at the same time they took the peoples credit card information off their cards.. Been expecting this to happen with both the credit cards and passports.

reply to post by SkyMarshall


Well said SkyMarshall.

On balance I too would think that this terrorist supporting "journalist" probably made the purcases in the Israeli market himself just to make Israel look bad. I often find that purchases can be made by simply quoting the CC number in markets. It also seems that he was not "immediately deported" as he claims either if he was at liberty to commit credit card fraud against some unwitting Israeli market trader.

Let's face facts. If this militant hater of Israel makes common cause with the Hamas, then I'm sure this credit card subterfuge would be EXACTLY the kind of thing he would do.

Why can't these terrorist theives and liars simply leave peaceful Israelis alone?

[edit on 13-6-2010 by Lionel]