Pit Stop Ploughshares

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July 24th 2003: Global Solidarity with the Pitstop Ploughshares Catholic Worker, Ireland.
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Trial Moved; Return to Shannon, Brigids Well, Dáil & Embassies
Pit Stop Ploughshares Jun 18 2003

*Pit Stop PLoughshares Trial Has Been Moved & Postponed
**Return to Shannon J21, Brigids Well J23, Peace Walk J23-J24, All Night Peace Vigil at Dáil J24-25

On Tuesday June 17th., in Limerick Circuit Court, Judge Carroll Moran heard submissions from the "Pit Stop Ploughshares Community" legal team - solicitor Joe Noonan, Junior Barrister Giollíosa Ólideadha & Senior Barrister Michael O'Higgins.

The submissions related to further discovery of police evidence, the alleviation of bail conditions (daily signing on, banned from County Clare & a mile radius of the U.S. Embassy in Dublin) imposed on the defendants - Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly and a change of venue for the trial.

The Pit Stop Ploughshares defendants have been charged with two counts of criminal damage to a hangar window (approx €200) at Shannon Airport and a U.S. Navy war plane (Govt. sources approx. €2.5 million). These charges arise out of the Pit Stop Ploughshares nonviolent disarmament of a U.S. Navy war plane at Shannon Airport on February 3rd. 2002. The Pit Stop Plougshares face a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment if convicted of the charges. 50,000 U.S. troops & munitions passed through Shannon Airport en route to the war on Iraq.

The Prosecution admitted to further discovery. The Prosecution opposed a change of venue from County Clare. The afternoon was spent in legal argument concerning issues of a "fair trial", "perceived bias" in calling a jury from County Clare where Shannon Airport is such an integral part of the economy and the United States is such a significant customer. The defense barrister quoted a series of prejudicial statements in relation to the defendants from a variety of local and national media & local and national politicians. It was argued that these statements have made a most significant impact in a community with the said strong economic ties to Shannon Airport. The Defense Barrister observing "perhaps the people of Clare might be more inclined to know which side their bread was buttered on".

Following two hours of defense argument and prosecution rebuttal, Judge Carrol retired to make a decision. He rejected defense arguments in relation to a Clare jury being pressured by economic ties to the United States fearing possible economic consequences of an acquittal.

The Judge acknowledged that his duty was to guarantee that the accused had a fair trial and not to consider the evidence of the case at this time. He stated that the perception that the accused would receive a fair trial was important. He conceded to the defense application for a change of venue to Dublin. A trial date is to be set by the Dublin Circuit Court, most likely for October or January sittings.

Ciaron O'Reilly from the Pit Stop Ploughshares stated,

"We look forward to carying the spirit of nonviolent disarmament into court and putting the issues surrounding our act of conscience at Shannon Airport before the consciences of a jury.

The continued use of Shannon Airport as a pit stop for the U.S. war machine remains a serious moral issue for the people of County Clare and Ireland. Our broader community will return to Shannon Airport on Saturday June 21st. 12 noon. As the five defendants -who remain banned from County Clare- hold a peace vigil on the Limerick border, others will gather at the airport to construct a shrine and remember the war dead. The gathering will be addressed by Nuria Nastafa, a member of the Iraqi Community in Ireland, who will travel to Iraq with an aid convoy. Andrea Needham, initially jailed and subsequently acquitted as consequence of the 1996 "Seeds of Hope Ploughshares" disarmament of a British Aerospace Hawk Fighter, will also speak. Ed Horgan from Limerick & a former commandant in Irish Defense Forces will also address the gathering.

A peace walk will then begin meeting the defendants on the Limerick border. We will have a "Celebration of Hope" in Limerick on Saturday night, celebrating the disarmament and ongoing nonviolent resistance to the war & occupation of Iraq.

We carried out this act of disarmament of the U.S. war machine around the Feast of St. Brigid. We were originally set for trial in Kilrush Court, County Clare, on the Feast of John the Baptist - June 24th. We will resume the peace walk at Brigids Well in Kildare on Monday morning, June 23rd. 9 a.m. in and continue to Dáil Eireann arriving on Tuesday evening June 24th. - the Feast of John the Baptist. We will conduct a fast for peace through Tuesday night at the Dáil.

"The axe is already laid to the roots of the trees; any tree that does not produce good fruits will be cut down and thrown into the fire" - John the Baptist, Matthew 3:10

There will be vigils challenging the role of Shannon Airport and Irish complicity in the continued war on and occupation of Iraq on this feast day at - Irish Embassy London, Irish Embassy Washington DC, Irish Consul New York City, Los Angeles Federal Building, Philadelphia Federal Building, Houston Federal Building, Brisbane, Perth, Irish Embassy Sweden, Irish Embassy Netherlands, Irish Embassy Austria, USAF Base Harewood Christchurch, Irish Embassy Wellington, Irish Consul Auckland, Dili East Timor, Archbishop Romeros tomb El Salvador, Irish Embassy Slovakia, Belfast City Hall and elsewhere".

More information
www.ploughsharesireland.org
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile) +353 97 918 4552
Ph. 01 406 4466 (landline) +353 1 406 4466
email pitstopploughshares@hotmail.com

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Solidarity Vigils June 24th
The Pit Stop Ploughshares - Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly have been charged with $2USmillion "criminal damage" to a U.S. Navy war plane at Shannon Airport on February 3rd. 2003.

Charges arise out of their ploughshares disarmament action at Shannon Airport where 50,000 U.S. troops passed through on their way to the war on Iraq.

The defendants have spent 4-11 weeks in Limerick Prison on remand. They now are on the streets under restrictive bail conditions demanding they sign on daily at a specific police station and are banned from County Clare where their trial has been set at Kilrush Court for June 24th.

A peace walk will begin fom Shannon Airport at 12 noon on Saturday June 21st. to the trial commencing at 10 a.m. at Kilrush Court, County Clare, June 24th.

The five are calling for solidarity vigils on June 24th. at Irish Embassies and Consuls thoruout the world or any relevant military or coporate site.

So far solidarity vigils have been confirmed at the following places.....

Dublin GPO, Belfast Town Hall, Kilrush Court, Irish Embassy London, Irish Embassy Brussels, Irish Embassy Amsterdam, Irish Embassy Washington DC, Irish Consul New York City, Philadelphia Federal Building, Houston Federal Building, Archbishop Romero's tomb El Salvador, somewhere in Dili East Timor, Irish Embassy Wellington, Irish Consul Auckland, Harewood USAF Base Christchurch, Irish Embassy Sweden, Irish Embassy London...................unconfirmed as yet Irish Embassy Slovakia, Los Angeles Federal Building, Irish Embassy Canberra.

-Shannon Peace Posters have been mailed too vigilers
-It is hoped folks will take a photo of thhe poster & vigil intheir country and mail it to the Ploughshares
134 Phibsborough RD. Dublin 7, IRELAND...so images can be used in a future collage.

Check out the Pit Stop Ploughshares website for background and updated information www.ploughsharesireland.org.

Pit Stop Ploughshares Ph. Contacts
Landline +353 1 4064 466
Mobile +353 87 918 4552
Email pitstopploughshares@hotmail.com
Postal- Ploughshares 134 Phibsborough Rd. Dublin 7 IRELAND

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PEACE WALK FROM SHANNON AIRPORT TO KILRUSH COURT - TRIAL OF THE PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES
Saturday June 21 st. - Tuesday June 24th.

JOIN THE "PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES COMMUNITY" IN BRINGING THE MILITARISATION OF SHANNON AIRPORT TO TRIAL IN KILRUSH CIRCUIT COURT!

We invite you to participate whenever, and for however long, you can in the peace walk and trial support.

Contact pitstopploughshares@hotmail.com
............ if you intend to join the walk, so we can clarify accomadation needs and send you information on what to bring.

Updates
www.ploughsharesireland.org
087 918 4552 (calling mobile/cell phone from inside Ireland)
+353 87 918 4552 (calling/texting mobile/cell phone from outside of Ireland)
Landline answering machine........
01 4064 466 (calling from inside Ireland).
+353 1 4064 466 (calling from outside Ireland).

BACKGROUND
In the build up and execution of this year's war on Iraq, 50,000 U.S. troops passed through Shannon Airport, County Clare, to the killing and oil fields of Iraq. In contravention of Irish neutrality, U.S. troops and munitions (including components of Patriot and Tomahawk Cruise missiles) passed through the Irish airport. A civilian airport was transformed into a pit stop of death. Shannon Airport continues to serve this role for the U.S. war machine in its illegal occupation of Iraq.

In the early hours of February 3rd. the"Pit Stop Ploughshares Community" - Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly - began to enflesh the prophecy of Isaiah by nonviolently disabling a U.S. Navy war plane.

Immediately following their disarmament action, the five spent 4-11 weeks in Limerick Prison. They were gradually released under stringent bail conditions - banned from County Clare where their trial is set to take place and forced to sign on daily at specific Garda stations in Dublin.

The Irish government deployed the Army and Navy in reponse to the nonviolent disarmament. Three U.S. commercial airlines transporting U.S. troops withdrew from Ireland. The Clare Garda expended their annual budget and a state campaign of slander and lies was unleashed on the five defendants. Government claims of 2.5 millioon euros of criminal damage have not been itemised. Legal aid for senior counsel has thus far been denied.

If convicted, Deirdre, Nuin, Karen, Damien and Ciaron face a maximum of ten years imprisonment.

PEACE WALK - FROM SHANNON AIRPORT TO THE TRIAL AT KILRUSH COURT, COUNTY CLARE

The peace walk will begin with a peace gathering at Shannon Airport at 12 noon, Saturday June 21st. The walk will conclude with a memorial for the war dead outside the trial in Kilrush at 9 a.m. Tuesday June 24th. A vigil, trial support inside & outside the courtroom and celebrations of disarmament will commence in Kilrush on Tuesday June 24th.

More details will emerge in the coming weeks......
The basic outline for the this powerful witness against the conitued use of Shannon airport by the U.S. military is as follows.........

Saturday June 21st. 12 noon	Peace Gathering, Shannon Airport....speakers & artists from the Iraqi community, international and Irish peace activists.
Saturday June 21st. 12 noon	the Pit Stop Ploughshares defendants will commence a vigil joining other peace activists presently banned from County Clare on the Limerick/Clare border.
Saturday June 21st. 1.30 p.m.	The peace walk will depart Shannon Airport.
Saturday June 21st. 2 p.m.	The peace walk will meet a peace demonstration sponsored by the Cork Anti-War group, gathering in the town of Shannon.
Saturday June 21st. 6 p.m.	The peace walk wil arrive in Limerick for a shared meal and "Celebration of Hope" with the defendants. Venue and artists to be announced.
Saturday June 21st. approx 10 p.m.	an all night solstice celebration will be underway back at Shannon or at a location outside of Limerick.
Sunday June 22nd.	The Peace Walk continues south of the Shannon River towards Kilrush. Accomadation to be announced.
Monday June 23rd.	The Peace Walk continues south of the Shannon River toward Kilrush.
Monday Evening June 23rd.	The Peace walk will cross the Shannon River by ferry and arrive in Kilrush. Accomadation to be announced.
Tuesday June 24th. 9 a.m.	A memorial for the war dead will commence outside the Kilrush Court.

UPDATES & INFORMATION
www.ploughsharesireland.org
Land Line
Ph. 01 4064 466 (calling from within Ireland)
Ph. +353 1 4064 466 (calling from outside Ireland)
Mobile/Cell
Ph. 087 918 4552 (calling or texting from within Ireland)
Ph. +353 87 918 4552 (calling or texting from outside Ireland)


OTHER SUPPORT

Write to the above prisoners
24 The Spinnaker
Alverno
Castle Ave.
Clontarf
Dublin 3
IRELAND

Donate to the Ploughshares Defense Fund by making cheques payable to "Peace and Reconciliation"
c/o Ploughshares
134 Phibsborough Rd. Dublin 7 Ireland.

Join the Catholic Worker activists in their prison fast and prayers for peace.

Vigil publicly at Shannon Airport, U.S./British Embassies, Aer Rianta, Irish Government offices involved in war preparations.

Gather with friends in communities of nonviolent resistance … sit in, speak out, blockade.

Offer solidarity to those travelling into the war zones of Iraq and Palestine to bear nonviolent witness.

Offer solidarity to those in front of the courts and in jail for bearing nonviolent resistance to the war machine at home. See www.nonviolence.org/nukeresister/ and www.peacenews.info