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international |
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news report
Tuesday July 25, 2006 13:16
by ploughshares support
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Comments (37 of 37)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37This is a welcome result. A victory for anti-war protesters against the Irish State.
Congratulations!
Wow. Not guilty!
I cannot begin to say how happy this makes me and how proud I am of Karen, Deirdre, Damien, Ciaron and Nuin (especially since she's a yank)
Question for the movement: What tactics will be used next to bring an end to the use of Shannon as a WarPort?
What's next - or better asked: Who's next?
• The War continues - even though it has been effectively lost by the invader countries
• Ireland's participation in the US War on Iraq (and soon, Iran and maybe Syria) continues
• A Majority of Irish oppose the War (but this fact does not affect parliamentary politics)
• Plus, a large majority of Americans oppose the War now
What to do next?
This is absolutely brilliant guys, now where's the party!
Congratulations to the five for their brave stance and also to the jury who saw through the smoke and mirrors constructed by the prosecution. Well done!
Ring these people - tell them statement is available here and that the Ploughshares can be contacted at 087 9184552 - too many ppl to fone - no office
Phone numbers
96FM (Cork) 021 4392317 or 4551596
Anna Livia Radio 01 6445100
Clare FM 065 6828888
County Sound (Cork) 023 43106
Evening Echo (Cork) 021 4802142
Irish Examiner 021 4802102
Galway Bay FM 091 770000
INN radio news (national) 01 6629564
Limerick 95FM 061 319595
Limerick Leader 061 214500
Limerick Post 061 413338
Near FM 01 8485211
Pat Kenny Show 01 2083275
Red FM (Cork city) 021 4865500
TJ Flynn (Cl;are Champion) 087 9470696
Waterford Radio 051 846100
Village magazine 01 6425070 or 6425066
The Irish Sun 4792579
Congrats guys.. justice was a long time coming..
the people have spoken
bet mcdowell will attempt to try these cases in the SCC in future.
086 1512013
087 9638398
Congratulations from California, USA. !!!!! May it ringgggg throughout the world!!!!!!
Congratulations to the five! And thank you for your courage and endurance, your inspiring and faithful example. What a superb outcome. Hooray for the jury and congratulations to your defence team. Bloody marvellous.
Congratulations to the Pitstop Ploughshares from Ciaron's family in Australia. It has been a long time coming but justice has arrived,
Best wishes and party hard,
Sean O'Reilly
You must be delighted that it's over. Well done for taking the moral stand that this immoral government won't.
I am so happy with this result, thank you
Tá áthas an domhan orm! Comhgairdeas a chairde!
…they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid;...
Táim buíoch díomh go léir don misneach don foighne agus don diongbháilteacht a thaispeannaigh sibh na blianta beaga anuas.
Well Done been thinking of you all.
It will be nice to see you again back where you belong in Scotland Karen.
times:
Protesters cleared of damaging US plane at Shannon
12:11 Five anti-war protesters have been found not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of criminally damaging a US aeroplane at Shannon Airport over three years ago.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2006/0725/bre...7.htm
RTE NEWS:
Five not guilty of damaging US plane
http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0725/shannon.html
(12:21) The jury in the trial of five people accused of causing unlawful damage to a US military plane at Shannon Airport has returned a verdict of not guilty.
indo:
12:36 Anti-war protestors acquitted over attack on US aircraft
http://www.unison.ie/breakingnews/index.php3?ca=9&si=95619
first breaking news:
11:51 indymedia ireland:
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77440#comment160500
notice how little coverage there was over the last few days, as opposed to the excellent, and surely difficult, coverage done by "court reporter" here on indymedia:
Ploughshares Trial - Closing Arguments
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77368
really great reading, hope some content makes its way into the papers, perhaps the village might put in a bit
Congrats. The right verdict.
Does anyone know what the story is with costs ? Who ends up paying for the damage also ?
Well done Deirdre, Damien Ciaron, Karen, and Nuin.....your courage and determination is a shining example to all of us who want the collaboration of this Government with the warmongers to stop.
Solidarity
Michael
Well done to all.
I'm used to the high standards of the defendants in their own defence at this stage, but it seemed to me that in this trial their legal team did a particularly fine job in the closing arguments. Also that Kathy Kelly's evidence had the air of the ultimate veracity. Meanwhile Devally came across as something of an ill-informed fool
Surely the Irish Minister of Defence and the authorities at Shannon now stand to be personally indicted in terms of breaking the laws of this country re neutrality. Any legal experts here?
Have contacted the Dublin phone numbers on that list: Anna Livia Radio, Inn radio, Near FM,
Pat Kenny Show number, Village Magazine (2 reporters at the court already), and the Irish Sun.
Will try to contact some of the other numbers on the list shortly, but mean time someone else may try to do so? See list above.
Thank you!
congratulations to you all. And thanks for taking this action on behalf of us all
we broadcasted your statement on the internet / galway pirate radio station:
http://pirateradio.podzone.org:8000/
we will keep doing so periodically during the day
(see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77351 for further info)
(tune in for a little radio anarchy!!)
Great news. justice is done
karen is a babe!! :)
Hopefully now the IAWM will back direct actions at Shannon Airport... what do you think? Time for a mass invasion of the fence?
The victory of the 5 is, as far as I am concerned, a tipping point. As we are celebrating, the war is continuing not only in occupied Afghanistan and Iraq, but also in Gaza and Lebanon. Joshua Casteel is sharing his experiences in Limerick, Galway and Cork and he'll be in the ATGWU on Thursday evening. A mass demonstration in support of the Palestinians and the Lebanese people is called for Saturday next. The anti-war movement, not just the IAWM, seems to me, is very active right now - let us not forget we are the people, all of us, that Richard Waghorne calls "scum".....we are the people the Sindo and RuthDE attack.....there is a story there I am sure.
And then will come a few weeks of reflection and preparation for September 23rd. Speaking in a strictly personal capacity everything is on the table right now...nothing is excluded, provided it is within the realms of possible and builds the movement.
So dear friend of the message above....reflection, unity and proposals please. In any form and manner you and your comrades/friends/colleagues/mates wish. We will respond.
Solidarity again to the 5 and their supporters .
…and well done to the five defendants. 3 and a half years of waiting is finally rewarded with an acquittal. Well done to you all – it’s great personal news for you as well as being a huge positive outcome for true democracy and human rights.
This judgement creates huge credibility and legitimacy for the anti-war movement. The Ploughshares join other credible voices such as anti-war campaigners Denis Halliday and Ed Horgan. Halliday is the Irish former assistant secretary-general of the United Nations who resigned in protest at the running of the Oil for Food programme. Horgan is a former Irish army commandant who returned his medals in protest at the use of Shannon airport by the US military.
This is another example of brave and principled opposition to sustained hostility towards Iraq, from a decade of sanctions to an invasion in March 2003 which was 1) a totally illegal use of force under international law and 2) undertaken with motives which were entirely self-serving, despite being dressed up as humanitarian.
It should be remembered what SWP/IAWM had to say about the C5 and direct action in Shannon. It was the reason why I left the IAWM back then. Today is not really the day to get into it. Today is a day for celebrating. So any chance you might leave off, what we should all do now, bearing in mind the IAWM's past.
This is powerful stuff. The power of human spirit and action has been revealed today. Let's see this as the beginning of a sea change in how this state views its citizens, its constitution and the lives of the poor and oppressed in the middle east and beyond.
Power to the people!
Power to the ploughshares!
I call on the IAWM to seize this oppertunity to call for a mass action against shannon for the 23rd of september!
I call on all grassroots anti war groups and activists to seize this oppurtunity to call for a mass action against shannon for the 23rd of september! Forget about the IAWM-SWP!
To each of you, thanks for the mammoth endurance of such a long time. The news of the acquittal was such a relief. Blessings on those who put the care of the community first and for no reward. What courage it takes!
is a brilliant verdict! Well done and well deserved for all the effort ye put in.
how great to hear your news! well done deidre, nuin, karen, ciaron and damien. justice has prevailed. your courage and story will inspire many.
Who will now pay the US Government for the damage done to the aircraft ?
Will the bill for the damage be paid by the Irish taxpayer ?
1) Don't pay your federal taxes if you are a U.S. citizen. Half of your federal tax contributon goes down the rathole direct to the Penatgon paying for past, present & future wars.
2) The U.S. has spent $3.5billion on the war effort thus far. $US2.5 million is ppocket change.
3) The U.S. (& most imperial lmilitaries have a bassic attitude of wrrintg off any machinery they deploy to war, they don't expect to see it again!, at least this one crawled back to Texas).
4) Don't worry, be happy. F'n A to the Pitstop 5
"Who will now pay the US Government for the damage done to the aircraft ?
Will the bill for the damage be paid by the Irish taxpayer ?"
Below you will find an extract from a Dáil Debate on the 20th May 2003, shortly after the wonderful Ploughshares action. The important point to note is that 'no international convention' exists regarding payment for damage done to a military aircraft, parked in the wrong place.
If they had parked it in Dublin city centre and came back to find it up on blocks with the radio missing, then they would have had to call their insurance company. I would imagine that this would be a similar situation. Unless the Irish Government want to get stroppy over losing in the courts this week and get in a cheap shot at the Ploughshares by saying that the taxpayers have to pay.
All being fair in love and (PR) wars.
"Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason for his assertion that the State is responsible for malicious damage caused by individuals to aircraft parked at Irish airports, in view of previous parliamentary replies from the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Defence that no international convention exists to convey such a liability. [13436/03]
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen): In the months since the attack against the US cargo plane at Shannon there has been some speculation about the matter of responsibility for the cost of repairs to the aircraft.
The question of responsibility for costs remains an open question. The matter is not the subject of formal discussion between the Irish and US authorities. If raised by the US side the Government will give the matter full consideration, including from the perspective of whether any insurance arrangements might be applicable.
At the time the attack occurred the Government condemned the attack as utterly irresponsible and noted that while protesters are entitled to their views violent acts in the name of pacifism are surely a contradiction in terms. This irony will be compounded should the cost of repairing the damage done eventually falls on the Irish taxpayer."
I like a bit of irony as much as the next person but I would rather not have it compounded if that's ok.
A jury of their peers decided that their act was to save lives and protect property, and that they had 'lawful excuse' to disarm that plane.
Just as a 'by the by', during the first week of the trial evidence was given by Jeffrey Oxley, an expert in military intelligence.
While being questioned by Prosecution he was asked 'If an Iraqi soldier infiltrated Shannon' to disable something there before the 20th March, would it be an 'act of war'?
To which he answered 'Yes'. Shortly after he was asked if a '3rd party engaged in the same action, would it be any different? His answer was that it 'would not be considered to be an act of war unless it could be proved these people were working for one side or the other.'
Clearly that's not the case, so it looks like the U.S. Government will have to pay, as I can hardly see any insurance company paying out on that claim. Maybe they can use some of the backhanders they got from Haliburton?
Meant to write that the Pentagon has spent over $US 350 BILLION on this war not $US 3.5billion....so the Ploughshares $US 2.5 million is pocket change to the Pentagon.
U.S. bllack ops most likely pay out way more in bribes to Irish officials, government ministers, aviation authroities in terms of hard cash, coke, complimentariy flights of fantasy to the best "little whorehouses in Texas", Disney for the kids down home in Jeb's Florida etc. etc to secure Shannon as a militaried gas station for the war machine and a probable terrorist target as the war goes on.