Press Releases & Updates 2006

The five, Karen, Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Ciaron O’Reilly and Damien Moran, known as the Pitstop Ploughshares, damaged the plane at Shannon airport in February 2003 to prevent it being used in the impending invasion of Iraq. Their acquittal comes after three years of waiting and three trials.

In a statement the Pitstop Ploughshares said:

"The jury is the conscience of the community chosen randomly from Irish society. The conscience of the community has spoken. The government has no popular mandate in providing the civilian Shannon airport to service the US war machine in its illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. In 1996 in Liverpool the Jury acquittal of the four ’ploughshares’ women contributed to the end of arms exports to the Suharto dictatorship in Indonesia and the independence of East Timor."

"The decision of this jury should be a message to London, Washington DC and the Dail that Ireland wants no part in waging war on the people of Iraq. Refuelling of US warplanes at Shannon Airport should cease immediately."

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson added: "We are absolutely delighted for Karen and the others. The case shows that people who act to stop war crimes have every chance of acquittal if they get the opportunity to put their case fairly and directly to a jury. As far as international law goes, ordinary people are light years ahead of governments and state serving judges."

Background at: www.peaceontrial.com and www.indymedia.ie

Printer friendly version

Home | Top