Peace Campers return to Airport with Scott Ritter.

clare | anti-war / imperialism | news report Saturday July 05, 2003 22:24 by Tim - Refuelling Peace

Ritter's send off at airport attended by Aer Rianta "Guard of Honour".

Earlier today, Ed Horgan, Conor Cregan, Eoin Rice and I went out to Shannon airport with Scott Ritter who departed for the States. A few days earlier he had arrived in Ireland to testify at Mary Kelly's trial in Kilrush and to give soem public talks on the war on Iraq.
As a sign of appreciation we decided it best to give him a warm send off. The Aer Rianta folks wanted to watch too! :) They were annoyed to see us there and accused us of trespassing, even though they knew we were just seeing someone off.

At approxomately 12:40pm today (Saturday 5th July 2003) I accompanied Commandant Edward Horgan (retd), Conor Cregan, Eoin Rice, and Mr. Scott Ritter (retired Major, US Marine Corps, and former Chief UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq)to Shannon airport as Mr. Ritter was taking a flight to the United States.
We drove up the airport road and stopped at the checkpoint but were waved on without question.
As we entered the terminal building one of the Airport Police Officers recognised Conro and greeted him amicably.
We accompanied Mr. Ritter to the check-in queue, which was rather long and slow moving. While Mr. Ritter queued, the rest of us went to the viewing gallery. From there we could see two US Air Force A-10 ground attack aircraft, commonly referred to as Thunderbolts. They were in the centre of the airfield along with two Luftwaffe Tornados.
We also observed at that time a World Airways aircraft at the western end of the terminal. After viewing and photographing these aircraft, we returned to the check-in area. As we exited the elevator, we saw two Gardai (one a Sgt)waiting for us. We greeted them and went to check on Mr. Ritter who was nearing the front of the queue. Airport Police Inspector Lynch also arrived on the scence.
The Garda Sgt told us he was noting the time (1pm) that he had seen us, and said that we were in breach of a High Court Order. Both Conor and I replied that this was incorrect and that it was inappropriate for the Sgt to interfere in a civil matter and that we had no wish to discuss the matter further with him.
I then asked the Sgt if he knew what an A-10 was.
"Yes I do".
"Do you know there are two of those on the airfield right now?"
"Yes I do, do you want to know why they're here?"
"I know why they're here"
"They're here for an airshow tomorrow"
"That's irrelevant" I replied, after all if someone brought a nuke to a science fair it wouldn't make it a harmless piece of entertainment.
"You asked me why it was here"
"No I didn't actually"
I then asked him to do something about them, as he knew as well as I that they were illegal.
He refused to do anything and I told him I might have to cite him for dereliction of duty.
At this point Mr. Ritter finished check in and approached us. The Gardai and APOs fell silent and did not speak to Mr. Ritter (who is a very large and intense-looking man)
We went with Mr. Ritter to the viewing Gallery, followed by the two Gardai. We posed for photographs with Scott and with the A-10s in the background. I proudly displayed the Pit Stop Ploughhsares T-shirt for the photos (so you folks were there in spirit)
We pointed out the A-10s to some members of the public, most of which were disgusted about the use of Depleted Uranium, which the A-10 fires.
We bade Mr. Ritter farewell after 20 minutes, and Ed escorted him to the deaprture area.
The rest of us used binoculars to read the markings on the A-10s. They have black panther heads on the engine cowlings and SP on the tails, I imagine they come from the 81st Fighter Squadron based in the US Air base at Spangdahlem, Germany.
Ed returned shortly afterwards accompanied by Niall Moloney, the airport operations manager.
He told Ed that he was in breach of the High COurt Order. Ed informed him that we were delivering a friend for a flight. Mr. Moloney told him that he did not have the right to do this (even though Scott had stayed at Ed's home).
Ed called the Garda Sgt to witness this and asked Mr. Moloney to repeat the statement that we are not allowed to deliver or pick up friends or family to or from the airport. Mr. Moloney repeated this in front of the Gardai before approaching Conor, Eoin and me.
He told us that we were in breach of a High Court Order. We told him that we were not.
He said "now you listen to me, and I'll listen to you after". So we listened.
He repeated the statement, and asked us to leave.
I then replied that we were not in breach of any High Court Order. He interrupted me, and I reminded him that he said he would listen.
"We are not in breach of any court order. You say we are but you are not a high court judge. You are saying things that were not consented to or granted in court. We were restrained from trespassing, and we are not trespassing."
MR. Moloney "You can take that up with the High Court"
"No," I replied "I don't believe I have breached a High Court order, I disagree with you that we are trespassing. And I quoted section 59 (b) of the air transport and navigation act 1998 "lest there be any doubt, it is hereby declared that a state airport, for the purposes of any enactment is a public place" If you think you are right, then you go to the High Court, and apply to have us arrested and imprisoned, otherwise, stop harrassing us."
At this point, Ed, Conor and I decided to leave the terminal. Moloney and the Gardai came into the elevator with us. Eoin stepped out again followed by Moloney. (Eoin hasn't been injuncted)
We went for tea in the hotel while Eoin went planespotting and made complaints about APOs.
After we met up again we drove out past the checkpoint, stopping so Garda Burke could check Ed's tax and insurance (all in order.)