Ciaron O'Reilly Pulled by Australian Security Intelligence Organisation on Arrival &other NVDA News

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Sunday February 05, 2006 19:54

by Ploughshares

Ciaron O'Reilly arrived in Brisbane, Australia, on Friday night Feb 3rd.after a 30 hour flight and was immediately met by two ASIO agents on disembarking. Ciaron is one of the PIt Stop Ploughshares defendants awating a third trial in Dublin, July 5th. Defendants have been allowed to leave the country, they are required to return to Ireland a week before the July trial. Ciaron has returned home to Brisbane, Australia to visit family.

ASIO is a secret Federal security agency. Ciaron was placed in a secure room in the airport during the interview. When asked if he had previous dealings with ASIO, he replied "Well you're a secret organisation! You tell me if I've had dealings with ASIO agents before?"

Ciaron was questioned about his plans during his stay in Australia, the civil disobedience that occured during the Shoalwater Operation Talisman Sabre joint U.S./OZ military exercises in 2005. Ciaron was questioned to whether he planned to accompany his brother Sean to his Alice Springs court date arising from his arrest following a peace demonstration at the CIA/NSA outback base Pine Gap. References were made to the Pit Stop Ploughshares case in Ireland. Ciaron assured the agents both he and his brother were innocent of all charges awaiting hearing.

After a few jet lagged attempts to tease out the meaning of "security", "violence/nonviolence" "terrorism" amd "war" the interview ended.