Press Releases & Updates 1999

"I hope the government will see the writing on the wall regarding the dangers and illegality of Star Wars, Trident, depleted uranium and the sanctions against Iraq"

said Helen John, 62, a retired midwife, of Otley, West Yorkshire, who will be tried 15 December at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court, Westminster, starting at 10 am. She has been charged with criminal damage after painting information about these issues on the St. Stephen’s entrance of the House of Commons on 15 September. This action took place in solidarity with global protests in late September against US plans to expand its ballistic missile defence programme - Star Wars - a programme

"which will lead to a massive nuclear-powered arms race in space,"

Ms. John said. The action also took place in solidarity with TP2000, as the nuclear weapons on Trident submarines continue to pose a tremendous threat to all life on earth. Ms. John said,

"when others, or ourselves, are in great danger, it is reasonable to use whatever means necessary to fully alert those who are in a position to ameliorate this danger. In fact, everyone aware of such danger has the duty to raise the alarm, just as one has the duty to break glass, if necessary, to raise the alarm in the event of a fire."

Tony Benn, MP will be called as a witness that cabinet ministers and other MPs are not always fully informed about the dangers we are currently facing.

Alan Simpson, MP will provide expert testimony about the ballistic missile defence system, or Star Wars.

Alice Mahon, MP will testify about the illegality of the war in Kosovo and the US use of depleted uranium there.

Investigative journalist Felicity Arbuthnot, who has recently returned from Iraq, will be asked to provide testimony about the effects of sanctions and the US/UK use of depleted uranium weapons in that country.

Physicist Dr. Chris Busby, author of Wings of Death and consultant to the Low Level Radiation Campaign (Tel. 01597-824771, http://www.llrc.org) will be called as a witness to the health risks associated with depleted uranium weapons. He will be looking at

"the process by which tiny ceramic beads of uranium created by the impact of DU weapons get into the lungs and thence into the lymph nodes, and the radiation dose consequences of that... single tracks of alpha radiation (e.g. from uranium) can cause genomic instability."

It is expected that information will be given as to why the dose model used by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) is inadequate. There may also be information on the restrictions placed upon the World Health Organisation by a 1959 Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), which has limited the kind of research which WHO can undertake about radiation health effects, and which limits the kind and amount of information which WHO can release about these (Res. WHA12-40, 28.5.59).

The defence is calling these witnesses in order to support the claim that what Ms John did, trying to alert Parliament and move it to action by writing about these issues on the wall, was reasonable given the circumstances. Ms John’s solicitor, Frances Taylor, can be reached on: 0113-237-4047. Ms John can be reached on Monday 13 December only on 01943-468593.

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