Extraordinary Rendition Through Shannon: Protesters Point Finger At A Government In Denial

clare | anti-war / imperialism | feature Sunday October 09, 2005 15:04 by Tim Hourigan - Cosantoiri Siochana

' . . . but that word "currently" was in the answer for a reason. Technically, it's not a lie'

Background To This Story From Indymedia Archives: Amnesty Cite Shannon Complicity In US "Extraordinary Renditions" | Shannon: Hard Truths In Seanad Via Sweden Via Indymedia Ireland | Guantanámo Bay Express uses Shannon Airport | Peace Activists Call For Govt To Come Clean On CIA At Shannon | Activists lodge complaint about Guantanamo Bay Express | CIA Torture Jet Sold In Attempted Cover Up | More On The US 'Secret Commando Unit' That Has In Past Repeatedly Transited Thru Shannon

It has been a busy few weeks for Shannon airport news. There have been banner drops, arrests, IAWM demos, John Gormley of the Greens sparring with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, and the media mostly taking a government line. Today [Saturday, October 9th], a small group of protestors decided to bring the message back to the scene of the crime.

"John Gormley had a battle with Ahern this week about these jets, the fact that they are not inspected, and the fact that Denmark has BANNED the CIA from using their airspace, while we allow them at our airport. A Danish official recently sent me a list of CIA flights through Danish Airspace. One of them was from Shannon to Kabul, in Afghanistan. Denmark has forced them to make a detour around their airspace, but they are still welcome at Shannon.

Complete Report as Submitted by Tim H. to the Newswire

Busy few weeks for Shannon news. Banner drops, arrests, IAWM demos, Gormley sparring with Dermot Ahern, and the media mostly taking a government line. Today a small group of protestors decided to bring the message back to the scene of the crime, rather than the flats at Drumgeely, surrounded by cops.
So, a quick synopsis of the news regarding the torture jets.
When it was discovered they were using Shannon, the govt went immediately blind to any wrong doing...
When the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights was contacted last month about CIA jets at Shannon, he said he was interested, but he already had a list of countries to look regarding rendition flights and would look at Ireland "in due time". So probably around late 2006, perhaps? better than never.
The government spin doctors... being silent for two whole weeks after that decided to write a weasel answer for Dermot Ahern, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
When he was asked about it in the Dail he said that his people had contacted the office of Prof Scheinin (the UN guy) and had confirmed that he is not CURRENTLY investigating Ireland.
Of course most of the media took that as completely rubbishing earlier reports of UN concern... but that word "currently" was in the answer for a reason. Technically, it's not a lie, but it's not the same as saying... "and he has no plans to ever look at it"
John Gormley had a battle with Ahern this week about these jets, the fact that they are not inspected, and the fact that Denmark has BANNED the CIA from using their airspace, while we allow them at our airport.
A Danish official recently sent me a list of CIA flights through Danish Airspace. One of them was from Shannon to Kabul, in Afghanistan.
Denmark has forced them to make a detour around their airspace, but they are still welcome at Shannon.
Due to the government cover up, and the failure of most of the media (but not all... Village magazine did a great front cover and feature for their birthday issue) a small group of activists, decided to use their right to peaceful assembly in a public place where the passengers at Shannon can see that their is still controversy about this issue.
This afternoon, 6 people went ot the front of the terminal to unfurl simple banners.
We didn't obstruct and passengers, chant repetively, or through megaphones. We just stood in silence. Some passengers, including and American or Canadian (going by accent) gave us warm support.
One airport worker, pictured below, got excited and demanded that the airport police do something about us.
After a while we were confronted by a very agitated Airport Police Inspector Michael B Hogan. He recognised me straight away and got even more agitated. He said we had no right to be there, and said he would sue me for defaming him on a website.

He's referring to this article, which includes a photo of him, and an account of him trying to wrestle the camera from a woman half his size.
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=69381

We explained that we were simply having peaceful protest in a public place, and we were not interfering with passengers, operations, safety or security.

"There's no problem here" I said.
"No problem" he replied.
I guess he was being sarcastic cos he was back 20 seconds later asking why we were still there.

We replied that we were having a peaceful assembly. More passengers showed approval of our silent message, "US MILITARY OUT OF SHANNON" and "CIA TORTURERS OUT OF SHANNON". But the airport police, called the cops, and our names were taken, first by an airport police office who refused to identify himself, and then by a garda who did not give his name when asked. Other than that, the Gardai were very professional in their conduct. after a while more we decided we would leave the airport. In a parting shot, APO Inspector Hogan said that he would see me in court and wanted his photo removed from the web. I told him it would be unwise to go to court, as the footage related to the story, if used, would show him assaulting a young woman.
(He doesnt get that we're trying to protest the warport, not fight with him personally and that he should be thankful, rather than cocky that the camera woman did not press charges)
So, we decided to leave, on foot... and it took us a while, and we were escorted the whole way by the Garda Siochana and Airport Police.
Quite a lot of passing traffic beeped or waved in support... and about 4 made rude gestures.
At one stage, Det Sgt Houlihan called by for a bit of banter. (He's the detective who handled our criminal complaints about CIA rendition jets, and said that there was no evidence, while at the same time, we know there were no inspections of US aircraft) http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67865&search_text=N379P

"Hello Tim, what does C -I -A stand for?" (referring to our banner)

"Hello Detective Sgt Mike Houlihan, it stands for Central Intelligence Agency. Did you not know? Is that why you never investigated it?"

"Ah, Tim, you know I investigate everything"

"I don't know that, detective" - an in joke... his favourite line with me was "I don't know there is anyone on these planes"... while never inspecting any of them.

once we reached the exit, we took up postion on a roundabout, next to the site of the peace camp. We stayed for about an hour, getting more and more beeps from cars, and one "get a job" from a guy driving a van... We refrained from replying "I have a job, but I don't have to work Saturdays!!!"

also spotted at the airport,
A World Airways jet N27*WA (probably N272WA or N277WA, but the setting sun was causing trouble reading the reg). Which is parked in the centre of the airfield, guarded by the Army.

Another World Airways jet was at gate 42. We had seen this one land at 15.35 and it took off at 17.23 and flew east.

We briefly re-entered the airport for ten minutes to wait at the bus stop fifteen feet past the entrance gantry.

Pictures to follow, and perhaps audio, if I can figure out the analog to MP3 conversion...

Other Recent Indymedia Ireland Anti-War Activity Coverage:
Summary Of Anti-War Activity Feature
Banner Drop At Shannon
Protest at Shannon, 24th September

Some Links To Photo Essays Of Weekly Vigil Held By The PitStop Ploughshares:
The Ploughshares are five anti-war activists who went to Shannon and disarmed a US plane bound for Iraq. They are going to trial (again) on October 24th.
Rebel Priest Joins Ploughshares Vigil
Keep Death Off Our Runways
Vigil for Jean Charles de Menezes, killed by UK police on the London underground

Take the message where it's needed