Evidence of rifles found on Marmara, Al-Jazeera cameraman said IDF action stopped kidnapping try

Additional firearms are believed to have used against Israeli soldiers and then thrown overboard by passengers of the Mavi Marmara, Israel Radio reported Friday, citing IDF discoveries aboard the ship and corroborating testimony by the soldiers and real-time recordings. Until now there was confirmation only of mercenary use of pistols wrested from the IDF soldiers.

According to the report, gun-sights and rifle cartridges not fitting IDF weapons were discovered upon inspection of the ship, leading defense officials to believe that "hot" weapons were on board when the ship set out from Turkey in addition to the knives, rocks, metal rods and slingshots found in the search.

Coded messages alluding to scenarios of soldier-kidnapping and soldier fatalities were also found on board the ship. Some of those aboard the ship recorded messages saying they intended to become shahids , martyrs against infidels. Also found were films of fake "injuries" allegedly caused by the IDF. They were filmed during daylight -- before the IDF arrived, apparently in an effort to create clips for future propaganda.

A Reuters report appeared to corroborate on Friday claims of an attempt to kidnap a soldier during the raid of the ship.

Andre Abu Khalil, a Lebanese cameraman for Al-Jazeera TV who was aboard the Mavi Marmara, told Reuters that some 20 Turkish men had tried to prevent the boarding commandos from reaching the wheelhouse and commandeering the ship.

Using slingshots, metal pipes, knives and bats they initially succeeded in seriously wounding and overpowering four Israeli soldiers and dragging them below the deck.After standoff lasting approximately ten minutes, the Israelis opened fire, the man said.

A hostage negotiation then took place, according to the cameraman. One activist used a megaphone to tell the commandos the four captive soldiers would be released if they provided medical help for the wounded passengers. An Israeli Arab MK - Haneen Zuabi - mediated the negotiations, and the soldiers acquiesced. The wounded were subsequently brought up to the top deck to be airlifted off the ship.