Italian Activist Converts to Islam After Detention During Gaza Flotilla Raid
Italian activist Tommaso Bortolazzi, who commanded the Maria Cristin ship in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), converted to Islam after being detained by Israeli forces during the interception of the flotilla in international waters earlier this month.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, composed of around 44 vessels carrying hundreds of international volunteers, departed from Barcelona on August 30 to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Israeli naval forces attacked the convoy on October 1, arresting several participants, including Bortolazzi. Some of the detained activists were later deported on October 4.
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After his release, Bortolazzi met with reporters in Istanbul and explained that the devotion of his Turkish crewmates and the experience of detention led him toward Islam. Videos circulating online show him wearing a black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh as he recounts the moment of his conversion.
In remarks reported by Anadolu Agency, Bortolazzi said that when Israeli police interrupted his Muslim colleagues during prayer, he felt compelled to act in solidarity.
“My company was from Turkey and almost all were Muslims. While they were praying, Israeli police entered and stopped them. I felt the need to oppose that, and afterwards, with my friend, I recited the Shahada,” he said.
Before declaring his faith, he reportedly asked if his tattoos would affect his acceptance by God. His crewmate Bakir Devili assured him that belief, not appearance, defines faith. Devili later recalled that Bortolazzi repeated the Shahada while being transported in a prison vehicle and was then placed in a cell. He told Bortolazzi, “Tommy, you started paying the price for your Islam in the tenth second of your conversion.”
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Bortolazzi described the experience as one of “clarity and rebirth,” expressing gratitude to his companions and solidarity with Palestinians.
Source: Agencies
