Christians Against All Terrorism ARRESTED at PINE GAP

by treena Tue Dec 13, 2005 22:04

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/12/101603.php

by Update Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:09

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,17417230-5001021,00.html

by Justin Morahan - Peace People Sun Dec 11, 2005 22:40

To: Dr John Herron
Australian Ambassador to Ireland

Dear Ambassador

I have read with growing disbelief of your country's continued truck with the US/UK invasion and occupation of Iraq.

In spite of the protest of the overwhelming majority of your citizens you shamefully gave succour and active support to George W Bush's war, repeating his lies about weapons of mass destruction, an Al-Qaeda presence in Iraq, the imminence of a threat from Iraq and all those other shameful, damned lies that were specifically designed to get the support of US citizens for a war that was all about power and oil. Your government, in the name of your people, has faithfully and obsequiously obeyed every whim of your master in Washington and continues to prosecute those brave and honourable citizens of your country who have taken part in civil disobedience to oppose the crime that has been committed and continues to be committed in their name.

Now that the hideous lies of Bush, Rice, Perle, Powell, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and their co-conspirators have been revealed, now that the stories of torture by US troops with US sanction at the highest level are also known throughout the world, now that your own government's lies to the Australian people have been shown to have been lies, your Government should resign in favour of people who told the truth and stood up to George W Bush.

In particular, you should drop all the charges against the people, like those in Christians against all Terrorism, the Catholic Work crew, Catholic Workers and others who try to inspect your compliance facilities in places like Pine Gap or disable your compliant killing machines that stand at the service of a discredited foreign power.

With best personal wishes

Justin Morahan

by Elaine Sun Dec 11, 2005 20:48

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Adele Occupying Rooftop at Pine Gap

by paddy savage - consistent life ethic(inc animals) Sun Dec 11, 2005 18:30 achorusline19 at hotmail dot com

"Our struggle is not against the flesh and blood,but against the authorities,against the powers,and against the rulers of darkness in this world" Ephesians 6:12

"The spirit of the lord god is upon me,because the lord has anaointed me,he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,to bind up the broken hearted,to procalim liberty to the captives,and reease to the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the lords favour,and the day of vengeance of our god." Isaiah 61:1-2

I dont know if the consevative Catholics in the states,or the conservative "born agagin christians" in the country of the great city of Babylon have ever read theses passages,im sure they have ,but as usual,the words of the lord suffer gross misinterpretation,if Bush was a Christian would he have executed Karla Faye Tucker,and over 300 others as governor of texas,and gave the go ahead to blast to bits his fellow brethren by napalm and cluster bombs,and depleted uranium??
Maybe,if he sufeered from severe mental illness,but no,him and his administration,predominantly Yule graduates practise occultism,of the dark path,they dont believe in god,but it wins them votes at election time from the brainwashed religionists of the States,excluding the Catholic workers of course,and other pacifist liberation theology protestant Christians.
On the dollar bill if you inspect it carefully,place an inverted pentagram over the triangle,each corner in order has a letter that spells out MASON,=Freemasons?? Also, on the dreadful day of the orchestrated 9/11 attacks,thousands rung 911,also on that day,the lottery numbers first drawn were:9and 11,coincidence??maybe,maybe not.Is it going to take 1 million people to do Novena to St Jude to make people realisethat this administration want to bring this world to its end,they see life as a game and in their positions of power play the game of life as if two kids were playing the game battleships!! Wake up and smell the frankincense and myhhr,before the anti-christ makes the world litterally a place of great fire and burning sulphur,and uranium and plutonium!!!!!
From Paddy,an esoterric anarchist catholic queer vegan with hindu beliefs!!!lol.

by Jim Dowling - Christians Against All Terrorism/Peter Maurin CW Farm Sun Dec 11, 2005 14:05 Text solidaritymessages-0061-439 353 587

Today we were part of a miracle.

When I first proposed the idea of exposing the terrorist nature of Pine Gap by attempting to enter it and perhaps climb on one of the structures, my intention was to get a group together to do it in secret. Then the most enthusiastic person I met proposed an alternative of openly announcing our intention to inspect Pine Gap with or without permission. Plan ?B? was accepted and "Christians Against ALL Terrorism" was born.

Michael the one with the new idea dropped out and Bryan Law took his place. Bryan introduced enormous energy and made the group viable. He notified police and Senator Robert Hill we were coming and even told them the planned date of our action: December 8th.

We were full of enthusiasm, but still it was a firm belief of most participants that only a miracle would enable us to succeed given that Pine Gap is the most secure military establishment in Australia.

Today that miracle took place.

On Wednesday morning we sought out Pat Hayes, the traditional Arrente caretaker for the Pine Gap area and asked his permission to walk on his land in order to expose the violence of the base which occupied part of that land. No permission had ever been sought or given for Pine Gap to be used by the military. However Pat graciously gave us permission to enter the area.

Late at night on Thursday the 8th, four of us, Donna Mulhearn and Brian Law in one group and Jessica Goldie and myself in the other started the walk to the base from two different directions. We walked for five hours and three hours respectively. At 4 am Adele and I came close to the first 3meter high security fence. As we lay on the ground
perhaps 500 metres from the fence security vehicles drove nearby with their floodlight panning the area. We thought they must have known of our presence and were searching for us. At least twice we thought they must have seen us and our attempt to enter the base was over. Later we
realised their surveillance was routine, and they had miraculously not seen us.

After two vehicles had gone Adele and I made the last 100 meter dash through the open floodlit area to the outer security fence. As Adele hung our banner " WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD CRIES OUT TO ME FROM THE EARTH"
Gen4; 10-
on the fence, I placed Jessica's beautiful
barbed wire crucifix against the fence. Then I cut through the fence. We climbed through and I cut the second fence about ten meters away. Again we climbed through and realised all the power of the greatest empire in history could not stop two untrained, unfunded, unarmed Christian pacifists from entering one of their most important and
secure bases - even after we had told them we were coming.

I looked around at the huge white domes and radar dishes around us. It was obviously not possible to climb onto one of the white domes as I had sometimes fantasized. Adele headed for a tower next to a building and climbed on to
the roof. I followed.

Once on the roof we placed photos, leaflets, and other information on the roof and gave thanks to God. Shortly after we watched as a security guard on a bicycle road around. We still had not been seen. But the guard then rode around to the back of the building and must have noticed the banner on the fence. Meanwhile Adele and I took photos of one another with a huge white dome behind
us. The security guard came back in sight and quickly climbed a tower holding a radar dish directly in front of us. Amazingly (although by this time nothing would surprise us), he must have looked around for a minute before seeing us. I waved, and he scrambled back down.

Within a minute there were a number of Federal security guards and police assembled below us. My response to the first one who asked us to come down was to inform him that we had come to inspect the base for terrorist activity and would come down when we had something in writing from the Commander saying we would not be stopped from doing so. A second guard angrily yelled at me that he was coming up to drag me off the roof. I responded that I would certainly not be surprised by violence as I was aware the base had been directly involved in the slaughter of thousands in terrorist attacks.

Of course it is easy to be brave when you are "king of the castle". But shortly a number of guards and police were on the roof. The first one said, "Get on your knees". That's a good idea!, I replied. I knelt down and prayed that he would withdraw his co-operation from the violence of Pine Gap.

Unfortunately, when praying it was impossible to hear the instructions that were being given to me. This made the original guard who threatened us rather annoyed. Amazingly he used a new compliance technique with which I am becoming familiar " the old push the head into the ground
and push your knee into the head" technique. Luckily unlike the concrete floor last time, the metal roof we were on had a little give and I only suffered a bruised cheek instead of a bloody face.

After being escorted from the roof and into a wagon we were driven to the front of the base, searched numerous times and driven to the watch house.

Meanwhile Bryan and Donna had just completed their amazing walk. Bryan has health conditions which made the walk extremely difficult and any chance of running impossible. So they slowly walked the last stretch to the security fence, Donna dressed in black and Brian in his bright white "Citizens Inspection Team" overalls. This walk was truly amazing. A security van drove towards them. They waved and the vehicle drove on. They reached the first security fence, unchallenged by the numerous police and guards now behind it, until Bryan started to cut the fence with bolt cutters. Then the security forces realised Bryan was the "enemy" and called out. Bryan kept cutting until a
security guard put his hand on his gun, and perhaps not coincidentally Bryan decided he had done enough inspecting for the moment.

Bryan and Donna were "captured" by Ken who had talked to us two days before. Ken had totally lost his jovial sense of humour as Bryan was rolled roughly in the dirt. Donna and Bryan did not think it was the time to remind Ken of how we had all laughed together about his advice that trying to break into the base in white overalls was probably not very helpful for us. Later in the watchouse
we joked about how next time we should try it handcuffed and carrying tracking devices to give them a fairer chance of catching us!

The arrests were not over however. Sean and Jessica had driven to the front of the base and were holding a banner in what they thought was a non-arrestable action (Jessica had a plane booked in 5 hours time to Melbourne, and Sean
was due to catch one the next day). They were not
expecting the anger of the Federal police. We had been to the front of the base twice to picket and pray. Each time they had happily assured us of our right to be there. Now they were intent on revenge and decided to confiscate our cameras and any interesting documents. As soon as Sean
politely asked them what law allowed them to do this he was arrested and charged with hindering police. No receipt was given for anything taken and as yet nothing has been returned.

Later that day it was Jessica's turn. She was followed by the federal police all morning. until she came to the watchouse to visit her friends. She was immediately arrested and told she would be charged with being an accessory. Happily after an hour or so and much distress, Jessica's charges were dropped and she was released.

THE CHARGES
The four who walked into Pine Gap were charged with Destroying or damaging Commonwealth property; Trespassing on Commonwealth land; unlawfully entering prohibited area; unlawfully damaging property. Sean was charged with obstructing commonwealth police.

Alice Spring solicitor Russel Goldflam congratulated us on being the first ones to be charged under the 1952 legislation that Senator Hill had threatened us with. The penalty for trespass under this act can carry seven years
jail.

A trial date will most probably be set for sometime in February.

An important message for the terrorists waging war against one another.

One of the most important messages from our entry into Pine Gap is that our security does not lie in bigger and better bombs, bigger and better targeting or surveillance systems. Our security lies in building better relationships. In the words on my Catholic Worker T-shirt,
"The Only Solution is Love!"

CHRISTIANS AGAINST ALL TERRORISM is small group of people committed to moral and intellectual honesty on the issue of terrorism.
Those who made the trip to Pine Gap this time were:
Jim Dowling (50, from Dayboro),
Bryan Law (51, from Cairns);
Adele Goldie (29, from Brisbane);
and Donna Mulhearn (37, from Sydney);
Sean O'Reilly (47 from Brisbane);
Jessica Morrison (29 from Melbourne)
(Terry Spackman (65 from Cairns) left us in Townsville after falling ill, but was with us in spirit)

Jim Dowling
0422 749319
0439353587 (07 34253003 after 14th December)

by Scott Sat Dec 10, 2005 19:29

Recruiting slowdown/closedown at 500 N. Nappanee, Elkhart IN.

On Friday, December 9th, 11 peacemakers including Christian Peacemaker Teams, Catholic Workers, and Veterans for Peace met at the Agape Missionary Baptist Church for a nonviolence training and then traveled to the military recruiting offices on 500 N. Nappanee in Elkhart for a "Recruiting Slowdown." Peaceworkers had earlier contacted recruiters before the action and had been at that site Tuesday to mourn the death of 2,130 US soldiers from the war in Iraq.

Peacemakers entered the recruiting offices in twos to engage in conversation regarding issues of recruitment promises and realities and to shut the office down. They brought information including US Veterans Affairs information documenting the negative health effects of depleted uranium weapons on US soldiers, the illegality of the US led war in Iraq, and poll information that reveals that only 1% of Iraqis support the ongoing US military occupation.

The peacemakers had a brief interchange before a head recruiter, whose relative had died in Iraq, arrived and called the land owner to protest the presence. Three police squads arrived along with the owner of the building. The owner asked the group to leave, but the group persisted saying their lawyers stated that the First Ammendment gave them the right to stay. The peacemakers called Ft Knox to get an okay to proceed in conversation for the recruiters who still wanted to talk with them, and explained how important it is to get the diversity of opinions about Iraq on the table to uncover answers to the problems facing our world in Iraq.

Moments later a woman from a flower delivery service arrived to bring three bouquets of red and white roses to each recruiting office. The peacemakers said they had sent them to "celebrate the closing of the recruitment offices." After an hour and a half, all the recruiting office doors had shut with signs saying "Closed."

by paddy savage - consistent life ethic(inc animals) Fri Dec 09, 2005 21:51 achorusline19 at hotmail dot com

Im sick of repeating this,but true Rabbi's will admit that the Jews must remain in exile according to the torah and not recieve the "promised land",which is only a state of mind of a utopia shared in many ways by most of the worlds major religions,the zionists in the states who support Israel and claim to be christians are all occultists who practice the black magic arts and are obsessed with numerology,domination and war,they put religion on like a hat to win votes at election time from the eveangelicals!!I have to say,the best comedies on t.v. nowadays are the "christian" tv networks,i was in stitches laughing last night watching the audience in trance like states doing strange dances and having convulsions to repeats of ferocious roars of "praise the lord,can i get an amen??i said,can i get an Amen??,to which people faint and run around the auditoriums anti clockwise as if having multiple orgasms,a lotof people would pay a lot of money for drugs to make you that euphoric and manic,check out infowars.com and the bohemia grove icon to see bush and even"liberals" partake in mock human sacrifices,which they make up for in their wars and sanctions,Israel and the U.S. will collapse and fall,and the buildings of AIPAC will burn,most people in the states dont realise they are mind controlled and vote for dark occultists!! As to pragmatist,easy on the graphic portrayal of what might happen to cpt members,you seem to delight in the possibilty!!!

by Ciaron - DCW/PSP Fri Dec 09, 2005 20:11

You are confusing "sides" with locus imperi...where you are located in Empire.

Yes Catholic Workers & activists have more room to move at the centre of empire (North America, aUSTRALIA, Western Europe) than our brothers & sisters at the empires edge (Colombia, Saudi, Iraq, Phillipines etc). That seems to carry an obligation to be more openly active and confrontational in the first world. It is the same "side", SOA trained death squads, oil corporations that have their HQ's at the "liberal" centre that kills, tortures & rapes in the colonies.

Of course, this paradigm is rapidly changing as the US Constitution gets trashed, anti-terrorist/civil liberties legislation is rushed through, folks are scared off practising their citiizenship and those who continue the nonviolent resistance are isolated and mopped up.

On the bright side you have opposition springing from the Law Lords in England to this crew in the OZ outback. So it ain't over til it's over!

by righteous pragmatist Fri Dec 09, 2005 19:56

"arrests you"

Israel arrests Islamic fundementalists in Palestine for conspiring terrorism against innocent Israeli civilians.

"bombs your country"

Israel bombs Palestinian terrorist training camps, workshops where weapons such as long range rockets are being manunfactured to be launched against Israelis and the meeting points where terrorists meet secretly to plan atrocities against innocent Israeli civilians.

"tortures prisoners"

Israel does not torture but uses harsh interrogation methods against suspects who are believed to have information about terrorist groups which can be used by Israeli defence forces to protect Israeli citizens.

"flouts international law"

If so-called "international law" in this case the institutions of the United Nations and the World Court are biased towards and indeed controlled by states hostile to the very existence of the state of Israel why should Israel care about "flouting" this supposed "international law" supported by Western marxist cranks united with terrorists?

"lies to the press"

Israel does not lie to the press. Islamic terrorist in Palestine are the ones who when they say Israel is responsible for their oppression. By committing terrorist acts against Israel they bring retribution upon themselves.

"squashes you with bulldozers"

Terrorist must be punished for their crimes especially suicide bombers and their supporters. It is perfectly legitimate to bulldozed dwellings used by terrorists as bases from which to attack Israel. If Rachel Corrie a terrorist sympathiser was stupid enough to get in the way of a bulldozer while protecting the house of a mass murderer thats her suicidal decision.

"shoots you"

Terrorists trying to infiltrate in Israel to commit atrocites are legitimate targets for border patrols.

Every point you make is garbage.

by R. Isible Fri Dec 09, 2005 18:44

QUOTE: "One side arrests you will try you in a court with a jury of you peers and sentence you to a fine or custody only if there is a conviction beyond reasonable doubt that you broke any laws."

Right... yes.... so one side arrests you, holds you incommunicado in secret prisons, bombs your country, flouts international law, kills innocent civilians, tortures prisoners, lies to the press, squashes you with bulldozers, shoots you. Remind me, which ones are the Taliban, are they in the USA or Afghanistan? Or is it Iraq and the UK? Or is it something to do with Israel.

by Righteous Pragmatist Fri Dec 09, 2005 18:36

One side arrests you will try you in a court with a jury of you peers and sentence you to a fine or custody only if there is a conviction beyond reasonable doubt that you broke any laws. The Ploughshares case collapsed recently because there was a conflict of interest over the judges political relationship to Bush. You will probably be released without charge since your "crimes" will be too politically embarrasing (thats democracy after all) for you to remain in detention.

One side abducts four Christian Peaceworkers forces them to wear orange jumpsuits and chains and blindfolds them and drags them in front of a camera to plead for their lives.

Poor poor harmless and good natured Norman and his friends will get their heads sliced off slowly with knives as they scream their lives out in vain.

How lucky that you live in freedom in the civilised world?

by Ciaron O'Reilly - Dublin Catholic Worker/Pit Stop Ploughshares Fri Dec 09, 2005 16:10 087 918 4552

Looks like there's only one O'Reilly brother left not before the courts for resisting this war! They better keep an eye on Brendan!

Good going. Pine Gap/Alice Springs is extremely isolated geographically and the Northern Territory has a record of being extremely authoritarian.

This is a direct nonviolent challenge to Australian complicity in the illegal war on Iraq and the silencing of anti-war dissent trhough the recent anti-t legislation. (People of faith should know that security comes from the pursuit of peace and justice NOT more war, weapons , criminalising dissent and legislating away cviil liberties).

So these folks need to be hearing now from all of us who oppose this war.

At least three of those arrested are parents of young cbildren. So I'm sure financial solidarity would be apprciated.

Many thanx
Keep the faith
Ciaron