Fr. Martin Newell of the London Catholic Worker Imprisoned for Anti-War Action at Northwood HQ

Fr. Martin Newell of the London Catholic Worker community was sentenced to 24 days imprisonment Friday Dec 9th 2011 at Highbury Magistrates Court. Martin was brought before the court for refusing to pay a fine arising from cutting into the Northwood Headquarters/ London. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo...s.htm

in December 2008.  The anti-war direct action was timed for the "Feast of the Holy Innocents" on the Catholic liturgical calender. The feast day follows Christmas and commemorates the massacre of children in a search and destroy mission by King Herod who saw the birth of birth of Christ as a threat to his power.

From the dock Fr. Newell stated, "I work with refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan at the Catholic Worker.  I am opposed to the wars we have been waging on these countries.  I have nonviolently resisted these wars since they began.  I'm refusing to pay this fine as a form of further non-cooperation with these wars."

Northwood Hedquarters is the command centre for British forces deployed overseas.  The base has been the location of a number of nonviolent direct actions by the pacifist Catholic Worker community over the past decade of war on Iraq and Afghanistan.

Despite our efforts to achieve habeus corpus, it is unclear which part of the entrails of the English prison in which Martin is presently located.  We hope he will receive a phone call and make contact once he arrives at a prison.

Solidarity messages can be sent
Maritn Newell
c/- Giuseppe Conlon Houe
49 Mattison Rd.
Harringay
London
N4 1BG
ENGLAND
* we will redirect letters to Maritn in jail.

More information Ph. 079 392 90576
+44 79 392 90576