Pit Stop Ploughshares F1 Court Report & Anniversrary Update

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | news report Tuesday February 03, 2004 16:26 by Ciaron O'Reilly - Pit Stop Ploughshares 087 918 4552

A Call for Solidarity!

On Feb. 3rd 2003, the Pit Stop Ploughshares disarmed a U.S. Navy war plane at Shannon Airport. They await trial at Dublin's Four Courts. 10,000 U.S. troops a month commute through Shannon on their way to the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

CONTENTS

1. Kris Kristofferson Advisies Pit Stop Ploughshares

"Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down!"

2. Feb 2nd. Court Report by Damien Moran

3. A Call for International Solidarity on St. Patrick's Day (March 17th.)

4. Feb. 8th. Back to the Four Courts

5. "Ploughshares Defence Fund" needs your financial support!



1. KRIS KRISTOFFERSON ADVISES PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES

On Saturday night, Damien and I headed down to Dublin's "The Point" (5000 capacity) where Kris Kristofferson has sold out 3 nights www.rte.ie/arts/2003/1203/kristofferson.html & www.ohboy.com/kris.html.

On the strength of the anti-war sentiments of his latest album and our upcoming court date, we thought this might be a crowd worth leafletting about ongoing Irish complicity in the U.S. war on Iraq. I stood on the gate giving a rap and Damien went inside the grounds up to the door..amazing what a clean cut guy with a fluroscent jacket can get away with for 10 minutes before he was evicted by security!

Meanwhile two young-very tall-slightly drunk-Gaelic speaking lads from the Isle of Skye approached and engaged me and gave me a free ticket. Seems that the other member of the travelling trio had otherwise been detained! So leaving Damien at the gate, I went and in & joined the lads. They were roaring out, freaking out the older country & western crew and knew a lot of the words.

Great two hour gig with a lot of anti-war sentiment expressed. When Kris Kristofferson came out to do the encore he dedicated the title song of his latest album "Don't Let the Basatards Get You Down!" to the Pit Stop Ploughshares on trial for resisting the war! I remember the Latin version of this statement hanging for many years at the Jonah House resistance community in Baltimore.

2. FEB 2ND. COURT REPORT BY DAMIEN MORAN

Monday February 2nd. 2004

See previous Ploughshares summative report for background:

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=63195

Pitstop Ploughshares return to Four Courts,Dublin - Monday, February 2nd, 2004.

On February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Candlemas), the Pitstop Ploughshares 5 presented themselves before Judge Matthews and the DPP at Dublin's Four Courts, charged with Section 2(1) of The Criminal Damage Act.

Almost exactly one year after their non-violent disabling of a US Naval C-40A aircraft (Militarised version of Boeing 737 and critical logistics support to the US Navy ) on the early hours of February 3rd, 2003 at Shannon Airport, where - Karen Fallon, Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Ciaron O'Reilly and Damien Moran - symbolically and actually enacted the vision of Isaiah and Micah, to "beat swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks".(www.ploughsharesireland.org).

In 2003, 125,000 US military troops passed through Shannon Airport en route to engagement in the 2nd Gulf War. US aircraft being deployed for war-making refuelled at Shannon and the semi-state management, Aer Rianta, made €15 million from this arrangement. Munitions of War, Tomahawk, Cruise, and Patriot missile components aswell as napalm were amongst the gifts the Irish State faciltated at their west coast 'civilian' airport in the US/UK build up in the Gulf.

Today's hearing at Circuit Court 23 witnessed the Prosecution requesting clarity on issues pertaining to the exact nature of Judge Matthews order on Dec. 19th, 2003. They also requested a transcript of the judges particular orders. Judge Matthews wittingly retorted, "As long as you don't want this order sexed up". Laughter rippled through the spect-actors Monday morning sleepy countenances.

On Dec. 19th Judge Matthews had ruled that the State must comply with the defendants request for discovery in relation to:

a) the nature, destination, purpose and legal status of, and cargo on board the plane in question

b) the nature, destination , purpose and legal staus of, and cargo on board all US military aircraft (and those under US military contract) which passed through Shannon Airport prior and subsequent to the defendants action on Feb. 3rd, 2003, in the build up to the US war against Iraq.

The judge ruled that the above stated were relevant factors to the case and every attempt must be made by the Prosecution to procure them for the defendant's legal counsel.

A six week date was set for prosecution's submission.

During yesterday's short engagement, the Prosecution's Senior Counsel stressed he was "very anxious about issues raised" on Dec.19th in relation to discovery. He continued to emphasise the neccessity for prosecution to attain the transcript. These concerns seemed to rest on two factors:

a) the six week time constraint of procurement

b) A lack of clarity regarding the timeframe and dates of the defendants request in relation to the US military planes landing at Shannon.

The judge agreed that Prosecution "were entitled to clarity and delegated 10am on February 11th as an opportunity for the Prosecution to grieve their woes.

The Pitstop Ploughshares community wish to thank all those who have supported them in their humble attempt to bring the Irish Government's complicity in the ongoing war against Iraq to the courts of law before the conscience of Irish people.


3. CALL FOR SOLIDARITY ON ST.PATRICK'S DAY (March 17TH.)

We are hoping folks will atend their local St. Patrick's Day Parade with a message of peace, demanding Ireland stop offering refueling & transit facilities at Shannon Airport to 10,000 U.S. troops a month invading and occupying Iraq. Email [email protected] with your postal address and we will post you a poster demanding "No War Planes at Shannon". We will also inform you what Irish politician could be coming to your town for St. Ptrick's Day.



4. FEB. 8TH. ACCOMPANY THE PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TO THE FOUR COURTS

* Meet 9 am Sharp at "The Spire", GPO, O'Connel St. Dublin

* 9.20 am Single File Peace Walk to the Four Courts

* On Arrival at Four Courts - Peace Circle

* 10 am Solidarity Vigil outside the Four Courts



5. "PLOUGHSHARES DEFENCE FUND - Need Your Financial Support

We are hoping to bring a number of expert witnesses to Ireland to testify at our trial and speak out against continued Irish complicity in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. We are in deep need (some say desperate!) of your financial support to continue the disarmament witness into the court room. Please send what you can to "Ploughshares defence Fund" 134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough, Dublin 7 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND




Ciaron O'Reilly

www.ploughsharesireland.org

Mobile/cell +353 (0)87 918 4552

"The poor tells us who we are,
The prophets tell us who we could be,
So we hide the poor,
And kill the prophets" - Phil Berrigan