Solidarity Vigils June 24th

The Pit Stop Ploughshares - Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly have been charged with $2US million "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 corporate 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 to vigilers

-It is hoped folks will take a photo of the 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-AT-hotmail.com

Postal- Ploughshares 134 Phibsborough Rd. Dublin 7 IRELAND
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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 million 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.