Press Releases & Updates 2000

Anne Lee, (Menwith Hill Womens Peace Campaign) from Otley, Helen John (Menwith Hill Women’s Peace Campaign and Trident Ploughshares), also from Otley, and Angie Zelter (Trident Ploughshares), from Cromer in Norfolk, used bolt-croppers to get through the top security alarmed anti-intruder fence, which has been recently erected in advance of the new role the base will play. The women were arrested at approximately 10.50 am and are expected to be released shortly.

Angie Zelter said: "This base plays a key role in NATO military intelligence. Even if we get rid of Trident tomorrow, they are still planning to have new nuclear-powered weapons in space. Ballistic missile defence undermines the entire international legal order. The Americans are just running ahead without consulting anyone."

Although no open political decision has yet been made to deploy the ABM system, millions of dollars have already been spent preparing the ground base and its linked satellites for the new space-based weapons, the successor to the Star Wars project of the Reagan years. The developments breach both the Anti-Ballistic Missiles Treaty and the Outer Space Treaty.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "Although the UK committed herself unequivocably at the recent Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference to the elimination of nuclear weapons, our government has not yet found the courage to tell the US to halt the star wars developments on British soil."

[Update: Anne Lee has not been charged but has been bailed to return to a police station. Helen and Angie have been charged with criminal damage and attempted criminal damage and are due to appear at Harrogate Magistrates Court on 11th July. They were apprehended when starting to cut an inner fence -the one around the SAT-COM (Satellite Communication Area).]

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