US Military Exposed at Shannon Airport

Wednesday April 02, 2008 01:56

by CC

US Cargo includes exposives.

During a lively debate on yesterday's Joe Duffy's Liveline a spokesperson from Murray Air, a chartered cargo carrier for the US Military, announced that the company was licensed to cargo explosives, weapons and depleted uranium through Shannon Airport.

The robust discussion was between between Ed Horgan, Tracey Belle from Murray Air and with contributions from eyewitnesses who saw the the flaming McDonnell Douglas DC8 fly over their houses.

The following text is a comment from a regular indymedia commentator.

For those of you who missed it, the Liveline programme started with people from West Limerick, and Shannon Town ringing in about an incident that took place last Friday, involving a cargo aircraft operated by Murray Air Cargo. The aircraft, a Mc Donnell Douglas DC8 was flying from McChord Air Force Base (home of Combat Airlift), stopping at Gander in Newfoundland, refuelling at Shannon and scheduled to stop at Cologne, Germany before heading to Qatar.

Apparently, the aircraft suffered a flameout, in one of its four engines, described by callers as a streak of flame trailing from the plane. There has been some concern that the plane dumped fuel over the town of Askeaton in county Limerick before landing. This has been denied by Murray Air spokeswoman, Tracey Bell.

If it was fully laden with fuel, then it would have been a bad idea not to dump fuel over the Atlantic to reduce the weight for landing.

According to local media reports, the crew did contact Air Traffic Control and did state they were dumping fuel. It should be noted that before Ms/Mrs Bell came on air, a retired Dublin Airport ground crew member said that standard procedure would be to dump fuel to get the weight down, and that it was illegal to dump fuel over residential areas. The incident is under investigation by the US National Transport Safety Bureau and Ireland's Air Accident Investigation Unit.

The dumping of the fuel, however doesn't appear to be an issue of national importance, especially compared to what did come out of the interview.

The Murray Air spokeswoman, said she would not disclose information about the flight or it's cargo, but under pressure from Ed, admitted that Murray Air does operate charters for the US military and does have a hazardous Materials license to carry explosives, weapons, including Depleted Uranium, though she adamantly denied that it was carrying weapons on this flight.

When asked if Murray Air had sought permission from the Irish Authorities to carry weapons through Ireland, the spokeswoman replied that "Murray Air is fully compliant with regulations". She gave a number of non-denial-denials and even contradicted herself when asked about brining weapons through Shannon in the past. First she said they never had, then she said they had, and then she said that she did not have this information. She eventually hung up on Joe Duffy.
The show should be available on the RTE website tomorrow.

It is also worth noting that this is not the first time that a flight coming from McChord Air Force Base has had trouble at Shannon.

In Dec 2005, a C-17 coming from McChord AFB en route to the Middle East, made an emergency landing at Shannon, causing the airport and industrial estate to be evacuated. RTE didn't report on it until 12 hours later, when they stated that the US embassy had "CONFIRMED" that the aircraft was only carrying helium gas. They did not mention that the pilot had informed the authorities that he was carrying "Hazardous Material". see indy story http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73255

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Comments (26 of 26)

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Explosives In The Sky

by Cairlinn

Wed Apr 02, 2008 08:01

This is an horrific story. Why is our governent granting licences for cargo planes to overfly Ireland carrying depleted uranium and high grade exposives? Does anyone know? Have we totally forsaken our former neutrality and independence to become a puppet state and client state of the USA? What is our government's take on this matter?

Contaminated Radioactive Shannon Residential Area

by paul o toole

Wed Apr 02, 2008 09:36

Well done to Ed, kept relentless pressure on her till she lied her way out of it.
There is no 'reasonable doubt' about whats going through Shannon anymore, Not that you need doubt in the first place to inspect planes-it is there duty.
Even if there was an absence of evidence the duty is to 'investigate' possible crime.
But these rules dont apply when your participating in genocide. The law dosent apply, the church shuts up in support, the politicians stop asking questions once in government,
She admitted live on air that there have been weapons transported through through Shannon in her Airline and that they are licensed to carry Depleted Uranium, which has been used in extensively in Iraq which poisones the ground for 4.5 billoin years.
'The most poisonous substance on earth'....according to one of the experts landed with the job of cleaning it up after 1991 in Iraq. Cancer rates went up 7 times, birth defects rose 67%. Want a cheap house, go to Shannon.

Bush to Pass through Shannon this Weekend? Arrest and protest!

by Edward Horgan

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:08

US President George W Bush is due to pass through Shannon airport probably on Saturday 5 April 2008.
This is a call for protests at Shannon and efforts to arrest George Bush for his COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY in war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for ordering torture of prisoners in contravention of the UN Convention Against Torture.
US President George W Bush is currently visiting Eastern Europe and attending NATO meetings in Romania at which eastern European states such as Ukraine, Georgia, Albania and Macedonia will be encouraged by Bush and the US administration to join NATO in spite of strong opposition from Russia, and also opposition from some European states such as Germany, Greece and France.

However, our immediate interest in Mr Bush is his possible presence on Irish territory. This presents an opportunity to protest at his presence, and at the continuing US military and CIA use of Shannon airport, and an additional opportunity to have Mr Bush arrested while at Shannon airport.

The presence of protesters at Shannon might even have the effect of persuading the minders of Mr Bush to go elsewhere to refuel. Either way, if we disagree with the Iraq and Afghan wars, and if we disagree with torture, we should use this opportunity to voice our principled opposition.

We do not yet know the times of his possible visit, but I recommend the some protesters should consider spending an overnight at Shannon on Friday night 4 April.

In the meantime, peace activists should go to their local Garda Station and formally request the Gardai to seek the arrest of Mr George W Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and other specified US administration and US military personnel who are known to have been involved in war crimes and torture in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo Prison, and elsewhere.

How many planeloads of weapons through Shannon?

by Newshound.

Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:27

According to RTE this morning, in 2007 the Minister for Transport granted 1,495 exemptions were granted for aircraft carrying weapons and munitions.
So that's an average of FOUR A DAY.

Torture memo released

by Seán Ryan

Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:02

To complicate matters a memo has just been released from the Pentagon.

In short, this 81 page memo makes a number of points, two of which are important here.

i. Torture is acceptable and authorised, so long as it is used only when the intent is not to torture.

ii. George Bush, whilst exercising his powers, may ignore completely, international law and treaties.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iakd9i9QHJn3MgPadkhB...JKQ80

Shannon/ Bertie

by Mikesound

Wed Apr 02, 2008 14:18

mikesound at dolanspub dot com

While I realise that Bertie Aherne leaving office is big news, I most strongly feel that the issue of an American military plane on fire with Uranium tipped missiles onboard landing 1.5 miles from a major urban centre (houses and schools) should take precedence today.
It is surely a legacy of his government that such a near-catastrophy was even possible. After years of denials and refusal to search these planes this revelation is surely grounds in itself for dismissal.
I feel that Berties announcement was opportunistic to deflect media coverage from the Shannon issue.
Please dont forget about Shannon!
text /email to keep this issue alive!!!!

Todays Irish Mirror has story/pictures , nothing in the Irish Independant

by the digger

Wed Apr 02, 2008 14:55

> Uranium tipped missiles<

Oh for fucks sake. Drama queen or what. Stick to the facts, you clown.

Evidence of dangerous cargo going through Shannon Airport

by anon

Wed Apr 02, 2008 15:13

Facts not specualtion

by Sceptic

Wed Apr 02, 2008 15:42

Ed - so far as I am aware it is perfectly feasible for a passenger plane to fly between the Balkans and Washington DC even one run by a commercial airline without it needing a refueling stop in North West Europe. Therefore Air Force One could certainly do it. Is this stopover by Bush at Shannon your over vivid imagination? People should verify this tale before rushing down to spend the night there.

"I feel that Berties announcement was opportunistic to deflect media coverage from the Shannon issue." - Newshound . If you really think that you must think that the everybody is as obsessed with the Shannon issue as you are. In fact Shannon is glad of the business - ill founded scare stories about disasters notwithstanding.

Source for Bush visit reports.

by .

Wed Apr 02, 2008 15:50

This didn't come from Ed, it was reported on local radio.

Need to protest at Shannon because of Bush and regardless of Bush

by Edward

Wed Apr 02, 2008 16:34

The reports of US president Bush passing through Shannon are based on multiple local radio and newspaper reports. Also, a US militrary C 17 cargo plane was at Shannon airport earlier this week. Such an aircraft normally accompanies the Air Force One flights with supporting vehicles, security etc. This probably indicates that Bush passed over Ireland on his way to East Europe.

Whether he lands at Shannon or not on his return trip, there is a need to mount regular protests at Shannon to highlight daily ongoing use of Shannon to transport US soldiers and their weapons of war to and from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The revelations on the Joe Duffy Show emphasise this. Four flights per day carrying explosives though Shannon is not something we are inventing, this information has come from the Irish Department of Transport.
One million troops passing through Shannon between 2003 and mid 2007 is also not an estimate. These are also figures released by the Department of Transport.
We have no accurate estimate of how many people have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, because there is a deliberate campaign by the US military and administration to hide and deny the real figures.
The estimates vary, but the real total is almost certainly well in excess of half a million, and some estimates put it in excess of one million.
However, even it the death toll in Iraq were only say 50,000 people killed in an unlawful war, is this OK then?
Up to 40% of the deaths in Iraq are estimated to have been children under 15. Just how many children are we entitled to kill for Irish and US national and economic interests?
Please answer this question, or be at Shannon every weekend to protest at these gross crimes against humanity.

Soundmike

by Bobthenailer

Wed Apr 02, 2008 17:06

Not sure your judgment on that one is 'sound' Mike.

I dont where you got your info from, but it appears that you belive in not letting the truth get in the way of a good story.

your comment,
"the issue of an American military plane on fire with Uranium tipped missiles onboard"

Truth
The plane was not an American military plane
The plane was not on fire (Flameout from an engine,very different to the plane being on fire)
What was on board the aircraft has not yet been established.

Claiming that it was carrying uranium tipped missiles is alarmist and inkeeping with the overall tone of the contributers.

Lets stick to the facts !

Shannon Murray air

Wed Apr 02, 2008 17:30

Hi Again
In response to digger and bobthenailer
firstly digger;
While I appreciate your right to comment, your tone is unhelpful and shows a side of your character that you might want to keep to yourself. My email is there for all to see so if you have an issue with me and want to call me names, email me and keep it off the board, I'm sure people will thank you for this....
to both,
I know at least 100 people working in various capacities in Shannon Airport, including ground crew who would have unloaded the cargo of this plane and re-loaded it onto its sister plane 4 hours later. These people are only too aware of what they handled and have complained to management about being asked to do such work. I believe there were photos taken of the cargo and I am trying to locate these, as you may appreciate, there are probable repercussions for publicising these photos....
Any plane carrying military equipment or soldiers or are leased by the military I would call a military plane.
A phone poll on any local /national station will show the amount of people who witnessed a plane on fire on the night.
I hope this might clear things up somewhat.
Thanks

Depleted Uranium

Wed Apr 02, 2008 17:33

To Bob the nailer
No one has claimed yet that depleted uranium was at Shannon airport last week.
What we do know is that almost 1500 flights carrying munitions/explosives have gone through Shannon airport over the past year alone.
We do know, because Tracey Bell spokersperson for Murray Air told us, that Murray Air has a licence to carry depleted uranium and explosives through Shannon airport.
We also know that Shannon airport has no safety protection shields or blast wall to protect occupants of the terminal building from an explosion anywhere in the areas where the aircraft park. There are large areas of plate glass facing on to the aircraft parking areas.
Any significant explosion in the aircraft parking areas would send most of this glass flying in small or not so small pieces into the passenger and worker areas of the terminal building.
Four flights per day carrying explosives also confirms what we have been maintaining for several years. That is, that in addtion to troops and weapons that the soldiers are carrying on the chartered troop carriers, unspecified quantities of ammunition are also being carried on these aircraft. Otherwise the figure of four aircraft per day does not make sense.
It is likely that the amount of ammunition carried for each soldier for his M 16 rifle or whatever his is armed with, would be at least 200 rounds per person. That would mean at least 20,000 rounds or bullets on each troop carrying aircraft. If such an aircraft goes on fire, these bullets will explode under the intense heat.

One would like to know what special precautions the Shannon airport fire crews take or what SOPs they operate in case of a fire on an aircraft carrying ammunition such as these troop carriers.
In addition, what are the fire services SOPs for an aircraft carrying larger amounts of explosives, including depleted uranium?

Please enlighten us or endarken us someone.

The Facts

by The Facts Man - The Real World

Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:40

Have any of you heard of ICAO? Well they are the international civil aviation organistion. Every year they publish a book on the carriage of munitions of war/ dangerous goods by air. These items you all mention arent as this website often refers to as illegal. Theres basically 2 types of goods carried. The standard type and the banned banned type. its the 2nd lot that this site is obsessed with. These can only be carried subject to being packed and independently verified as meeting ICAO requirements. All airlines that carry these goods do so under license from their indivdual aviation aithorities. Also the flights mentioned by DOT arent Murray Air types. Military operations are DFA. You lot should really get your facts right, Nobodys breaking the law here.

nothing to worry about

by Just wondering

Thu Apr 03, 2008 13:04

Put your mind at ease Edward (Horgan?) The Airport Police and Fire Service at Shannon, like any other airport APF, is well up to speed on Carriage of Dangerous Goods and are trained, by law, in handling such situation. Just like regular fire services are equipped to deal with hazmat situations generally. But why are you asking this? Presumably in your days as an army officer you moved ammunition and explosive material around the roads of Ireland. Presumably you liaised with the local fire services and you already know what procedures are adopted. Don't you?

up to speed??

Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:17

To just wondering.
Perhaps you could expand on how ..'up to speed'....Irish airside emergency crews are with handling DU?.
Prof. Doug Rokke, a US military scientist in charge of cleaning up after only 80 tonnes were dropped on Iraq in 1991has two thousand times the acceptable level of radiation in his body, 60 of his team of 100 are dead. Rokke is the authority on DU.
!00.000 US 1991 gulf war vets are dying form poisioning.
This time they dropped over 8,000 tonnes of the stuff. Birth defects among vets is up 67% and you think they are prepared to handle a catastrophy in Shannon, wake up and smell the plutonium. Workers in Shannon are at serious risk even being near this stuff. And so are their offsprings.

What's the real issue here? Public safety or anti-US propaganda?

Thu Apr 03, 2008 14:28

a)APF training includes dealing with radioactive material, including material far more dangerous than depleted uranium. (which is non-combustible and non-explosive.) Far more dangerous materials than depleted uranium are trucked on Irish roads, through Irish towns and cities every day of every week. By all means question how well prepared the fire services and civil defence forces are to deal with such items. This could make for an interesting debate and contribute to public safety. But using slightly hysterical scare tactics as yet another stick to beat Shannon is clutching at straws and smacks of desperation.

b) depleted uranium was not on the flight

c) there's no plutonium to smell

Beyond the Garda troll chaff

by Ray - sometime AWI supporter

Thu Apr 03, 2008 15:11

This thread is getting seriously obfuscated by persistent trolling, to the point where a constructive approach to finding out what's really passing through Shannon is being sidelined by insinuations by some trolly types who're obviously too close to this scandal for their moral comfort.
A useful follow-up point would be to ask the fire crews at Shannon (or their management or union reps) if they have recently done training or drills simulating accidents with explosive or radioactive materials. Given what we know now about the possibility of DU or high explosives passing through Shannon, answers in either direction would reveal a lot. Even a blanket denial of information or a 'no comment' reply would be revealing too. Unfortunately, there's no reassurance regarding safety in any of these answers for either Shannon residents, or the wider Irish public. The US govt. decides what risks Irish people run in the defence of the empire - the late unlamented Mr. Bertie and his gang long ago surrendered sovereignty in these matters, but I'm sure he'll turn up to the funerals should something go wrong with the scam (sorry, scheme)!

Demo at Shannon Sat 5 April, 2 pm

Thu Apr 03, 2008 16:49

Don't loose sight of the immediate objective.

There is a demo planned for Shannon at 2 pm on Sat next, 5 April.

We dont know yet if Bush is actually going to land or when, but indications are that he is still in Southern Russia, on Saturday morning, so if he is passing through Shannon it is likely to be later on Saturday or early on Sunday morning.
Either way, it is important you and a number of your friends come to Shannon on Saturday to protest at the ongoing abuse of Shannon airport by US military and the CIA.

Please be aware also that there are rumours of a possible US air attack against Iran some time over the next 2 weeks or so. These reports are comming from Russian intelligence sources.

Bill Clinton describes Bertie Ahern's legacy as
"a shinning light for a world weary of war".

Bertie Ahern's most important legacy is one million US troops through Shannon airport and complicity in one million Iraqi dead.

US Hercules C130 military plane and Evergreen Jumbo cargo plane at Shannon tonight

Thu Apr 03, 2008 22:42

This thursday night a US military Hercules C130 war-plane and Evergreen Jumbo cargo plane, probably carrying military cargo, are parked in the secure area at the middle of Shannon tonight.
Security has been increased, but is no more effective than usual.

The following letter requesting the arrest of US President George W Bush was handed in to Shannon Garda Station at 8.30 pm together with a written request that the two above mentioned planes be searched.

To: Garda Officer in Charge,
Shannon Garda Station,
Shannon
Co Clare.

Re : Arrest of suspected War Criminal

Dear Sir/Madam

I have received information that suspected war criminals may be passing through Shannon airport in the near future, that is over the coming weekend, and at unspecified times in the future. I request that the Gardai at Shannon take the necessary steps to arrest any such suspected war criminals so that they can be transported to The Hague for trial at the International Criminal Tribunal.
As you are aware, having been so informed by me and by several others, and by multiple media reports, crimes against humanity have been committed in Afghanistan and in Iraq by US military forces, and by CIA and other US government agents, acting under the orders of the President of the United States, Mr George W Bush. He is one of the individual war crimes suspects who may be travelling through Shannon airport over the coming weekend.

I am requesting that you secure the arrest of this individual and any other possible suspects of war crimes under your duties to prevent crimes, and to being to justice all those who have committed serious crimes, when such individuals are within the Irish jurisdiction.
Among the specific crimes that Mr Bush has been guilty is the crime of waging unlawful war against the sovereign state of Iraq, in contravention of Article 2 of the UN Charter, and in contravention of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Up to one million people have died as a result of this war since 20 March 2003.

UN Charter Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

1. The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.

2. All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.

3. All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.

4. All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

5. All Members shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any state against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action.

6. The Organization shall ensure that states which are not Members of the United Nations act in accordance with these Principles so far as may be necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security.

7. Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll.

In addition Mr Bush has had command responsibility for the actions of his subordinates who have committed the crimes of torture against thousands of prisoners at various places including Abu Graib in Iraq, Bagram in Afghanistan, and Guantanamo prison in Cuba. These crimes contravene the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) under International Law, and the UNCAT Act 2000, under enabling Irish legislation.

You should be aware also that several other persons who have been guilty of command responsibility for torture and other crimes against humanity are likely to pass through Shannon airport on a regular basis. These individuals include senior US Administration officials and senior US military officers.
It is your duty to investigate these matters and to take all necessary steps to arrest all individuals who may have been guilty of such crimes against humanity.

Yours truly,

Edward Horgan

Dated: 3rd April 2008

ATA troops transporter gone bust

Thu Apr 03, 2008 22:54

Breaking news is that ATA American Trans Air, the US troop transporting company that has been making blood money transporting US troops to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has gone bust and has filed for bankrupcy.
Anyone willing to give them a dig-out????

Fuel Purchase Agreement for US military

by Bazooka Joe

Sat Apr 05, 2008 15:07

Defense Energy report of fuel supply contracts.

http://www.desc.dla.mil/DCM/Files/TB%20Web%20Report.pdf

They didn't include Shannon Aviation Fuels 061 712205 and 061 712000

I wonder how much fuel they sold that Murray Air plane before it took off and how much they will sell it before it takes off the next time? That would tell the tale as to whether it had dumped it's fuel or not.

Lorraine Ryan is the manager shnavfuels@daa.ie

Evacuation

by Jizm

Wed Apr 09, 2008 00:26

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73255

With reference to this report i would have to agree with Mikesound. I myself was working in the vicinty of the airfield that day and can remember quite clearly the evacution! This is not acceptable, i have a child going to school locally and I am not willing to take this s%&^ happening at our local airport day in / day out. It is time to all stand up and be counted!!!

Shannon AIrport

by Philo

Wed Apr 09, 2008 08:15

It is common knowledge that US military use Shannon Airport daily. It is also common knowledge that Shannon airport is used to transport everything from Munitions to Prisoners. We as a people should avoid all these conspiracy theories and look at the truth, which I believe to more alarming.

Exact link to the audio from this interview

by Mark O'Connor - Gluaiseacht

Wed Apr 09, 2008 17:04

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2008/pc/pod-v-010408-37m21s-...e.mp3

I'm not sure how long they leave this interview online. But it's there at the moment. I'll try loading audio up directly.

Ed shows up on it about a 1/4 of the way in.
Tracy Bell, director of administration at Murray Air, shows up 1/2 way in and hangs up after 3/4s way through.

Worth hearing is the ending:

Joe - "Why not tell us what was on the plane? Who is stopping you telling us? Was it cocacola?"
T Bell - "This is an incident under investivation.
I can tell you right now that it was coca cola.
I think this interview is at an end, thank you so much gentlemen."

Their US military contracted plane on its way to Doha makes an emergency overweight (with fuel and possibly depleted uranium onboard) landing, and we, the public entitled to answers, are taking up too much of her time?

The arrogance.

M.

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US Military Exposed at Shannon Airport

Comments (26 of 26)