Captain Freed Amid Storm Over Gaza Flotilla

Greek officials have released from custody the American captain of a ship participating in an international flotilla determined to challenge Israel's Gaza Strip sea blockade.

Greek authorities arrested John Klusmire, 60, over the weekend for defying a ban which prevented the ten-strong convoy of ships from setting sail to Gaza.

The instruction was issued earlier this month by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - a year after an Israeli raid on a similar operation left nine Turkish activists dead.

Klusmire - captain of the Audacity of Hope - could have faced up to a year in Greek detention pending trial on charges of endangering the safety of the 36 passengers on board by setting sail without permission.

His boat was impounded at a military dock near Piraeus, southeast of the Greek capital.

"The charges were ridiculous," said Jane Hirschman, a spokesperson with the US contingent of the international flotilla.

"All this confirms the far-reaching tentacles of the Israeli state."

Israel imposed the Gaza sea blockade in 2007 in a bid to stop illicit aid and arms shipments from reaching Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules the area.

Since arriving in Greece earlier this month, flotilla organizers have insisted that their attempts to breach the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza have been repeatedly sabotaged.

"Our vessel was fine," said Swedish activist Dror Feiler.

"But then, just before an inspection, we saw frogmen tampering with the propeller."

Scores of elite guards, as well as the coast guard, are keeping the ten vessels moored in marinas in Piraeus and the island of Crete.

Activists believe they are being watched for fear of a sneak departure - a move that could derail diplomatic relations between Greece and Israel.

On Monday Athens offered to deliver the humanitarian aid itself.

The activists snubbed the suggestion, saying they were determined to find a way around the Greek blockade.

"How long can they keep us moored here?" asked Vangelis Pissias, an Athens University professor and chief organizer of the Greek flotilla.

"We will sneak out at some point."

Israel has long argued that some of those taking part in the flotilla have terrorist sympathies.

Israeli government documents obtained by Sky News singled out at least two of the Greek activists.

One of those is Mr Pissias, who served as a key defence witness in the 2004 trial of the now defunct Greek Revolutionary Struggle (ELA).

The ELA is a terrorist organization believed to have received training with Palestinian counterparts in Lebanon in the late 1970s.

"I have never received (so much as) a traffic citation in my life in my country," Mr Pissias said.

"That I appeared as a defence witness should not be misconstrued. I am not wanted for any criminal or terrorist-related activity.

"I was merely brought in as an expert witness."

Activist Petros Giotis was also mentioned in the classified Israeli papers for "documenting the meetings of Greek activists with the Hamas leadership" in 2008.

It is alleged that he took the stand in defence of Dimitris Koufodinas, the top shooter of Greece's deadly November 17 terror organization.

Koufodinas is responsible for 23 political assassinations, including that of a British Brigadier in Athens in June 2000.

Mr Giotis was not available for comment.

Activists have denied that there is any political affiliation to their mission.

"There are at least 25 of us here who are parliamentarians, authors, composers who have all vowed against any show of violence," said Mr Feiler.

"If the Israelis want to look for scapegoats, then they should look elsewhere. We are humanitarians. Is that criminal?"