Raytheon 9 Trial
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
other press 
Tuesday May 20, 2008 19:28
by GH - DAWC
resistderry at aol dot com
has finally started
Here is a brief outline of the day
The trial of the Raytheon 9 finally got underway today at Laganside Court in Belfast. The day started well with about 50 people congregating outside the Courthouse. 28 of them carried placards with photographs of the men, women and children who died in the Qana massacre of 30 July 2006. A carload of Irish Anti War Movement activists travelled from Dublin and everyone felt good to see so many turn up to show their solidarity when the ‘official’ protest of the day before had been cancelled at such short notice.
As expected, the first day was taken up with legal arguments about the nature of the defence, witnesses etc. They don’t deny that they occupied Raytheon or that they destroyed their computer system but say that they had a legal, moral and political duty to do so in order to stop or at least delay war crimes, in which Raytheon were involved, being carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon.
The judge accepted defence arguments that he should not rule the defence out but allow it to be argued and then, having heard the evidence, he can decide how to instruct the jury on what they can, and cannot, take into account in reaching their verdict.
The judge said that he recognised the difficulties the defendants and their supporters face in getting up and down between Derry and Belfast and ruled that the Court would start no earlier than 10.30am and finish no later than 4pm every day. The trial is expected to last three weeks. We will try to update the website every evening of the trial.
It would be good if everyone who can books off work the morning of Tues 27th May, when we hope to see a big mobilisation. There will be buses from Derry and Dublin. For the Derry bus, contact Davey on 07521527208 or Eileen on 07780632610. From Dublin, contact Sara on 0872886646
Comments (6 of 6)
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Bush Administration continued the wonderful work of the Clinton Adminstration in supporting the peace process and mediating with Republicans and Unionists.
Bush did sterling work and fair play to him.
Do you mean fast tracking Ireland into the centre of empire so we can now rip of the majority world and bomb to shite anyone who objects.
How much of this new investment coming to the north will be companies like Raytheon.? Seems like weapons manufacture (that last thing they will relocate to the 3rd. world for fear of the wrong people getting their hands on it!), porn and Hollywood are the only thing going on the production front in the U.S. of A these days.
Bush is a wholesale terrorist, Ireland north and south has become his accomplice (Shannon and Raytheon et al).
"Bush pince of peace" say it three times and believe Jimbob.
Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!
The second day of the Raytheon 9 trial went reasonably well. The evidence came from PSNI officers, who mainly gave a fairly flat and factual account of what they’d seen on the morning of the occupation. Importantly, none said that he’d seen violence from any of the 9.
The indications are that it will be next week before Raytheon witnesses take the stand and can be cross-examined about the nature of the business and the links between Raytheon and defence forces, including the Israeli defence forces.
The case did get some coverage in the mainstream media today. This concentrated on a prosecution suggestion that the 9 had indulged in “an orgy of wanton destruction” and the defence riposte that the 9 had been trying to stop war crimes. Just headline stuff really, but at least the issues may be beginning to leak out into wider society---which is what we need.
Those in the dock are all in good spirits, and encouraged by messages of support coming into the DAWC from various parts of the globe. An update on these will be posted on the Resistderry site as soon as we get a minute....probably the weekend.
Day Three saw evidence submitted from a number of police officers and also video evidence of the occupation and arrests. All the defendants left the Court in a positive mood.
After the police evidence is completed we will have a number of witnesses from Raytheon. The defence case is expected to begin next Wednesday 28th or Thursday. It is expected that a number of the defendants will go into the witness box.
Day Four was like Day Three: more fairly boring evidence from a succession of police officers about the arrests. They all agreed that none of the defendants had resisted arrest in any way except by passive resistance, in that they did not cooperate with arresting officers and some had to be carried out of the building.
One of the interesting facts to emerge from details of the damage done to Raytheon's offices was the extent to which the offices were refurbished following the occupation. So, a bill for over £3,000 for venetian blinds was included as part of the damage caused by the 9. Under cross-examination, it became clear that as little as 10 -15% of the blinds had been damaged, but they had taken the opportunity to replace the lot!
The Trial resumes on Tuesday May 27th, Monday being a bank holiday in the North. Buses will be travelling from Derry and Dublin to protest outside the Court. Be there!
Feel free to copy/paste this email to
corporatecommunications@raytheon.co.uk
____________________
Hi There,
I am looking for information about the trial that you are involved in presently in Belfast with the nine anti-war activists, collectively known as the Raytheon 9.
I am very surprised to see that there is no mention of it under your link for "News Room". Surely, taking nine people to court for what your prosecution has called “an orgy of wanton destruction” merits mention on your site. Certainly, as a potential customer/employee/stakeholder of/in Raytheon I would like to see how the trial is progressing.
Perhaps you could let me know who you feel it is going and why you believe such an action should be criminalised, neglecting to see the hypocrisy of being an arms manufacturer.
I am disgusted to think that a company like you can do business in a country like this.
Regards,
Mark Conroy.
On May 27th, there will be a protest in Cardiff, Wales on the theme KICK RAYTHEON OUT OF WALES/SOLIDARITY WITH THE RAYTHEON 9
One struggle!
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