US warship in Dublin may have illegal radioactive ammo aboard

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | press release Wednesday May 19, 2004 11:55 by Eoin Dubsky info at votedubsky dot com 087 6941060

Peace campaigner and independent candidate for the European elections in Leinster, Eoin Dubsky, today handed in a letter to Pearse Street Garda Station requesting that they investigate the American warship currently in Dublin for serious offences under Irish law.

1. ) PROTESTS TODAY:

* A vigil against visit of the U.S. warship USS La Salle to Dublin will be held at the Spire Wed 19 May 11am - 1pm. Pit Stop Ploughshares & Dublin Catholic Worker will host the vigil. Contact Ciaron for more info on 087-9184552

* Irish Anti-War Movement emergency protest East Link Bridge on Wednesday 19th May at 6pm. Contact info@irishantiwar.org



2.) PRESS RELEASE CONTINUED...

"The USS La Salle is docked in Alexander Basin until Saturday, 22 May. It carries and fires munitions containing Depleted Uranium, a 'nuclear material', which if they use, or threaten to use to cause death or serious injury to any
person would be an offence under the Radiological Protection Act, 1991.

"It's an outrage that the United States military should be invited to visit Ireland anyway, while tons of Depleted Uranium and countless unexploded cluster bombs (land mines essentially) litter Iraq and Afghanistan, causing untold destruction for years to come. I've asked the Gardai to investigate the matter, and arrest anyone on the USS La Salle if they believe that they have committed an offense.

"According to the Geneva Conventions, States are required to ensure that any new weapon, means or method of warfare does not contravene existing rules of international law. These rules prohibit weapons, means or methods of warfare of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering,
which have indiscriminate effects or which cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment. Depleted uranium weapons and nuclear weapons appear to breach this Act too.

"If the ship is carrying Depleted Uranium munitions, I believe that they are used in exactly the manner prohibited by Irish law (i.e. to cause death and destruction, or threaten death and destruction, causing superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering with indiscriminate effects, etc.). There is no other way to use Depleted Uranium munitions that I am aware of."


3.) LETTER HANDED IN TO PEARSE STREET GARDA STATION 18/05/04 TO GARDA B133:

Eoin Dubsky
Whitewalls
Ballymoney
Gorey, Co. Wexford
18 May 2004

Officer in Charge
Pearse Street Garda Station
Pearse Street
Dublin 2

Subject: A most serious offence under S. 38 of the Radiological Protection Act, 1991

Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to inform you that the captain of an American warship docked at Alexander Basin West, the USS La Salle, may be committing a most serious offence under Section 38 of the Radiological Protection Act (1991). The Section of the Act concerns offences relating to nuclear material, and sub-section 4 says: "a member of the Garda Síochána may arrest without warrant any person whom he suspects has committed or is committing an offence under this section."


Could you please investigate this matter urgently, and arrest anyone if you believe that they have committed an offence under the Act. I understand from the Irish Department of Defence Press Office that the ship will be in Dublin until Saturday.

The USS La Salle carries and fires munitions containing Depleted Uranium, a 'nuclear material', which if they use, or threaten to use to cause death or serious injury to any person or substantial property damage would be an offence under the Act (Section 38.1.a and Section 38.1.e). 'Nuclear material' in this Act has the meaning assigned to it by Article 1 of The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. According to the Act is irrelevant whether the threat is meant for here or abroad (Section 38.2).

Furthermore, according to Article 36 of Protocol I additional to the Geneva Conventions, States are required to ensure that any new weapon, means or method of warfare does not contravene existing rules of international law. These rules prohibit weapons, means or methods of warfare of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering, which have indiscriminate effects or which cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment. The Geneva Conventions have been brought into Irish law most recently with the Geneva Conventions (Amendment) Act, 1998. Depleted uranium weapons and nuclear weapons appear to breach this Act too.

If the ship is carrying Depleted Uranium munitions, I believe that they are used in exactly the manner prohibited by Irish law (i.e. to cause death and destruction, or threaten death and destruction, causing superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering with indiscriminate effects, etc.). There is no other way to use Depleted Uranium munitions that I am aware of.

I would be most grateful if you would treat this matter with the utmost seriousness. If I can be of any help please contact me at (087) 6941060 or at the address above.


Yours sincerely,

Eoin Dubsky


Related:
Paper by Damacio Lopez, Director, IDUST (International Depleted Uranium Study Team): "Use of radioactive materials in military weapons: Depleted Uranium"