Pit Stop Ploughshares Update!

They're on Trial For Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

STATE OF PLAY - Well it 's 18 months since we managed to disable a U.S. Navy war plane at Shannon Airport. The plane was the only piece of military equipment turned around by the international peace movement and sent back to Texas. Meanwhile we were sent to Limerick prison. Initially denied any bail at all, we eventually had very restrictive bail conditions imposed - a ban from County Clare, a ban from a mile radius of the U.S. Embassy & signing on at a specific Garda Station daily.

Before any of us were released from custody, 3 U.S. companies transporting U.S.troops through Ireland to the killing fields of Iraq withdrew from Ireland. The U.S. Embassy credited our, & Mary Kelly's disarmament, actions as the reason for this withdrawl. The Irish state deployed the Irish Army to Shannon Airport to defend the U.S. war machine against the nonviolent peace movement. The militarisation of Shannon Airport once covert was now overt.

Aer Rianta responded with high court injunctions that always dropped to the floor when they attempted to serve them on us in jail or in court. The "mainscream" media demonised us - publishing government ministers lies that a Garda had been assaulted and hospitalised in the hangar. The Garda Press Officer rejected these lies by 12 noon the day of the disarmament.

Elements of the authoritarian left and moderate peace movement perceived us a threat and censored us at every opportunity - not mentioning our imprisonement on Feb 15, carrying out "interventions" at our public meetings, failing to retract their repetition of Minister's lies about us that were rejected by the Garda and most recently trying to stop the MacBush march on Dromoland Castle.

We took bail at various stages - Ciaron after 4 weeks, Karen after 3 months and Damien, Nuin and Deirdre in between. On getting out of jail, two of our group were initially homeless and without an income. So the past 18 months continues to be a journey of nonviolence, faith and disarmament. Along the way we have met a lot of wonderful folks from all traditions who have lent a helping hand in solidarity. Our focus has always been to continue to nonviolently resist this war and in particular Irish complicity in the invasion, occupation and plunder of Iraq.

This 18 month phase comes to an end this Monday, July 26th, as a trial date will be set.

UPDATE CONTENTS
1) Join us this Monday, July 26th.
9am at The Spire, O'Connel St. for Peace walk to the Four Courts!
2) Further Background on the Pit Stop Ploughshares
3) Saturday July 24th.
*3 pm CW Liturgy
*4pm Introductin to the Ploughshares Movement - Actions, Trials and Acvquittals and sentences!
4) Other Ploughshares & Disarmament Activists in Need of Solidarity
5) "Faith & Resistance Gathering" in Washington DC August 5th. -9th.
6) Return to Shannon Sept 24th. - 27th.


1) JOIN US THIS MONDAY, JULY 26TH., 9AM THE SPIRE, O'CONNEL ST. FOR PEACE WALK TO THE FOUR COURTS!

We are asking you to join us this Monday to make a significant statement against continued irish complicity on the war on Iraq.

The defense have vacated their initial applications in reference to discovery. The Prosecution have responded by dropping their judicial review. It is expected a trial date for October or November will be set at the hearing on Monday July 26th.
.*9 am sharp gathering at The Spire, (nr. GPO O'Connel St.).
*9.20 am Single file peace walk to the Four Courts.
*9.45 am Solidarity Vigil Outside the Four Courts.
*Please wear black in memory of the war dead.

*Defendants will provide the visuals (banners, placards etc please respect!)


2) FURTHER BACKGROUND ON THE PIT STOP PLOUGHSARES

Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly
are awaiting trial charged with two counts of criminal damage ($US 2.5
million & 200 euros). Charges arise out of their 3/2/03 nonviolent
disarmament of a U.S. Navy War Plane at Shannon Airport en route to the
invasion of Iraq. Shannon Airport continues to host 10,000 U.S. troops a
month, enroute to the invasion and occupation of Iraq. On March of this
year, the figure rose to almost 17,000 troops.

In December 2003, (trial) Judge Mathews ordered the Prosecution to provide
further discovery to the Ploughshares defendants. The discovery ordered
relates to the nature of U.S. military flights stopping off at Shannon in
the four months preceeding to the action. The Prosecution are keen to strip
the disarmament of any military context and reduce it to vandalism.

One working day before the discovery was due (26/1/04) the Prosecution team
was replaced and moves began to get Judge Mathews to reverse his December
decision. The Ploughshares have returned to the Four Courts five times in
February as these Prosecution machinations played themselves out. On Feb.
29th. Judge Mathews ruled "it is as it was" on the discovery question.The
Prosecution subsequently indicated they were initiating a judicial review on
Judge Mathews discovery rulings. Judicial reviews can take up to 18 months to 3 years.

The defense have vacated their initial applications in reference to discovery. The Prosecution have responded by dropping their judicial review. It is expected a trial date for October or November will be set at the hearing on Monday July 26th.

We ask you to accompany the Pit Stop Ploughshares to the Four Courts on Monday, July 26th.


3) SATURDAY JULY 24TH. at Dublin Catholic Worker 83 Corrib Rd. Kimmage

DIRECTIONS- Get the 19A Bus to Lower Kimmage Rd. get off after the two petrol stations before the KCR pub, turn right into Corrib or
Get the 15 A Bus to Kimmage Cross Roads, walk down Lower Kimmage Rd. back toward town & turn right into Corrib Rd.

*3PM CW LITURGY
Mass will be celebrated at the Catholic Worker House by Fr. Martin. Martin has been the Ploughshares spiritual director for the past year and is leaving the country.

*4PM INTRODUCTION TO THE PLOUGHSHARES MOVEMENT - ACTIONS, TRIALS, ACQUITTALS AND PRISON TIME!
See background on the movement on www.plowsharesactions.org
Presentation will include video footage of other actions, trial scenes etc.

4) OTHER PLOUGHSHARES & DISARMAMENT ACTIVISTS IN NEED OF SOLIDARITY.

-"Sacred Earth & Space Plowshares"
(Sr Ardeth Platte, Sr. Jackie Hudson, Sr. Carol Gilbert serving 30-41 months for nonviolent action at ICBM Missile silo Colorado, USA
http://www.jonahhouse.org/sacred_earth.htm

- Mary Kelly awaiting trial for disabling U.S. war plane at Shannon Airport
http://www.freewebs.com/mary_kelly
***Benefit gig for Mary Kelly Tuesday Night July 27th. Mother Redcaps, Dublin "Give Peace a Dance"
see www.indymedia.ie Events Listing for more details.

-Ulla Roder on the run after disarming a British Tornado attack aircraft in Scotland
http://www.free-ulla.org/

-Margaret Jones & Paul Milling awaiting trial for disabling support vehicles for B52 Bombers based at Fairford England in preparation to bomb Iraq.
http://www.fairfordpeacewatch.com/

-"B52 Two" - Toby & Phil awaiting trial for conspiracy & going to disarm a B52 Bomber at Fairford, England.
http://www.b52two.org.uk

5) "FAITH AND RESISTANCE GATHERING" IN WASHINGTON DC AUGUST 5TH. - 9TH.
More info...
http://www.jonahhouse.org/Hiroshima0804.htm

6) RETURN TO SHANNON
There will be a "Hope & Resistance Gathering" and a public nonviolent witness at Shannon Airport at on the last weekend of September. Friday Sept 24th. - Sun Sept. 26th. *This marks the anniversaries around the S11 2001 attack on NYC and the U.S. bombing & invasion of Afghanistan.

THEME - "Ireland's Role in the War Without End: From S11Bombings in NYC to 24/7 Bombings in Iraq & Aghanistan"

VENUE - A camp site in rural Clare
*Gathering will start on Friday evening Sept 24th. Setting up & Socialising

Saturday Sept. 25th.
-MORNING SESSION - Key Note Speaker (to be confirmed) on Ireland's Role in the Wars on Afghanistan & Iraq

-AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Small workshops suggested thus far...
-Campaign Against raytheon in Derry
-Solidarity with Peace Activists on Trial & in Jail
-Nonviolence Training
-Reports from people who have returned from Iraq & Palestine
-Props & Theatre for Sunday's demonstration at Shannon
-Guided walks in the Local Wilderness!

Saturday Evening
Social - music etc

Sunday Sept. 26th. 1 pm - Nonviolent Peace Action at Shannon Airport.
Proposals thus far "Rememebering the Dead" inspired by the blank blanket action on the rioad to Dromoland Castle.
**It is hoped that folks who can't come for the weekend, will come down to join us for the day.
***It is hope that this will be the beginning of a 3-4 month cycle of public witness and nonviolent action at Shannon Warport.

****To register for the gathering write c/- Shannon Peace Action, 83 Corrib Rd. Kimmage, Dublin 6 IRELAND.
-We will send you directions and details of what to bring.

7) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL SUPPORT
In the months ahead we will be setting up collectives to handle the basic infrastructure for our trial. So we can concentrate primarily on being on trial.

Areas to be covered will include

-ACCOMADATION - we are expecting support to travel from Europe, U.S., Australia, Scotland, England, rural Ireland.
-Ideally we need a church hall near the city centre for sleeping bag & mat accomadation with nominated folks taking responsibility for hosting & interfacing with those who own the building. This space will serve as a convergence centre where defendants will debrief support after de/briefings with legal team at the end of each day. Also a venue for anti-war education & organising.
-A list of Dublin folks willing to billet older folks and witnesses in their homes

FOOD- A food crew that can link up with Food Not Bombs etc. to source cheap food, prepare and make available to support over the one-two weeks of trial.

ALTERNATIVE MEDIA-collective to get the word out on what's happening in court and how it is connected to the ongoing war etc.. Making use of witnesses who have come to testify.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA collective interfacing with the straight press etc.

SCENE OUTSIDE THE FOUR COURTS- Each day of trial will be preceeded by a peace procession to the Four Courts. Buddhist monks and nuns will conduct a daily vigil outside the court for the duration of the trial. Collective will keep this scene going and in the spirit of the defendant's actions.

SCENE INSIDE THE COURT- need folks to take responsibility to create a rota for access to the small public gallery to make sure as many folks as possible get to access the trial, that folks who have traveled long distances get access, that family members of defendants get access etc.

GIGS & EVENTS - The ploughshares action and trial has a strong theme of celebration - that human beings can nonviolently disarm these weapons of war. It is hoped that different groups - punks, folkies, theatre folks will put on events during the week celebrating the action etc.

8) DONATIONS
Donations can be lodged at any Bank of Ireland Branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. - 18972983, Sort Code 900551

Cheques can be sent to the
Ploughshares Defence Fund
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Phibsborough
Dublin 7
IRELAND