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clare / anti-war / imperialism Monday March 07, 2005 22:11 by Tim Hourigan
Hercules warplane at Shannon. Spot the crime in this photo?
Answers to our SpotTheCrime competition should 
be sent to::
email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Phone: 01-6194020 / 4021 / 4043
Fax:    01-6764048
Valid entries should contain only one X marking
 the criminal action.  Employees and relatives of
 employees of An Dáil are precluded from entry. 
Expletives will render the entry null and void.
 Participants may enter any number of times.  

From the newswire (Tim Hourigan):

Just got a phone call from Ed Horgan. He was gathering more evidence of the crimes at Shannon when he was set upon by the Airport Police. Ed was told that Airport "Police Inspector" John Martin, Garda Morrissey and Garda Coleman were taking him into custody for taking a photograph of a US militatry Hercules. UPDATE: It also appears that Ed saw a plane very similar to the CIA torture jet that has been using Ireland as an essential part of its war crime infrastructure.

The arresting officers cited Section 33 of the Air Transport and Navigation Act, which only restricts photographs in certain areas (such as the airfield) not on the public roads.

Under Section 59 of the same act it says "lest there be any doubt, the road, is, for the purpose of any enactment, a public place."

UPDATE Wed 9th March: Ed Horgan visits Shannon again. Photos of warplanes.

national / anti-war / imperialism Wednesday March 02, 2005 20:00 by Karen Fallon

British anti-war activists occupied the Irish Embassy in London today to protest the possible ten year jail sentence facing Ireland's Pitstop Ploughshares defendants when they go on trial in an Irish court on March 7th.

The criminal charges facing the Irish peace activists (Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly) arise out of their non-violently disarming a US Navy Plane at Shannon Airport on Feb 3rd 2003.

This highly popular action had an immediate positive effect in reducing Ireland's complicity in war crimes as it led to a withdrawal (at that time) from Ireland of three of the four companies contracted to freight US troops and weapons through Shannon airport.

The Irish Government continues to facilitate the US Military at Shannon Airport with thousands of US troops transiting through Shannon to and from Iraq each month.
international / anti-war / imperialism Wednesday February 09, 2005 18:30 by 'Route Irish' to Sanctuary Project

The 'Route Irish' to Sanctuary Project: Webpage

Other Links...
Harry Browne writes: 'Don't Get Back on that Plane' Soldiers: Seek Asylum in Ireland - CounterPunch.org

CBS News: ''The Pentagon says more than 5,500 servicemen have deserted since the war started in Iraq.'' (Dec. 8, 2004)

Frida Berrigan writes: 'Meet the New Conscientious Objectors' - Voices In The Wilderness


The 1951 Convention
''....a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of ... political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country ... owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.'' - 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees - History of the 1951 Convention

Criteria for the Determination
of Refugee Status

Scroll down to 'B. Deserters And Persons Avoiding Military Service' and read paragraphs 167 to 174

The Dublin Convention
Under the Dublin Convention, the Republic of Ireland will be the EU member state responsible for processing Asylum claims from Americans as Shannon Airport will be their first port of entry: ''The Member State responsible for controlling the entry of the alien into the territory of the Member States will be responsible for examining the application for asylum....''

San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, 12 June 1994
''If the inspection reveals that the aircraft is not a medical aircraft, it may be captured, and the occupants shall, unless agreed otherwise between the neutral State and the parties to the conflict, be detained in the neutral State where so required by the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, in such a manner that they cannot again take part in the hostilities.
- Paragraph 183

In 2004 more than 158,000 US Troops flew through Shannon Airport, most on their way to Iraq. During much of that same period of time approximately 5,500 US Troops have deserted, gone into hiding, sent to jail and some have escaped to Canada.

What if the funnel to Iraq, called Shannon Airport, were to be transformed into a sanctuary for US Troops resisting the Iraq War by requesting asylum in Ireland?

Audio of the press conference on launch of invitation to make Shannon a Sanctuary of Peace for US Military Resistors.(32/2005)

This is the new effort by the Dublin Catholic Worker and other anti-war activists and politicians announced in Dublin on Feb 3rd - the second anniversary of the Pit Stop Ploughshares disarmament of a US Navy Plane at Shannon.

Damien Moran of the Dublin Catholic Worker said ''We encourage members of the US Military refusing to participate in this illegal war to seek asylum in Ireland. We encourage members of the US Military landing at Shannon Airport to refuse to reboard the planes bound for Iraq.''

Irish activist Michael Birmingham, back since last May after 20 months in Iraq, believes that the Irish people can use their close connections with Americans to help end the war: ''It is very important that we here in Ireland do what we can through our many contacts in the United States to get the message out to the soldiers that there is an opportunity for them not to go to Iraq.''

Ed Horgan, former Irish Army Commandant and anti-war activist explained, ''As a former soldier I am very slow to recommend that any soldier should desert his army or his country. But this is an exceptional case, the war in Iraq is unlawful and it is immoral.''

The Dublin Catholic Worker will be coordinating with groups such as the Limerick based Midwest Alliance Against Military Aggression and Dublin based Residents Against Racism to connect them to legal assistance, housing and help in escaping from Shannon Airport. Offers of pro-bono defence have also been offered by a number of lawyers.

North-Central TD, Finian McGrath, speaking at the press conference, said ''It is incumbent on Gardaí to respect the asylum requests by US Soldiers at the airport. We need to have the follow up support, legal advice to ensure that that person is well after when he's here and going through the asylum process.''

Ed Horgan was optimistic and believes there will be popular support for US Soldiers staying in Ireland: ''Obviously, the Irish Government shouldn't allow US Troops to pass through Shannon, at all. But the Irish people and those in this effort will provide facilities and contacts and help for US Soldiers that jump ship at Shannon.''

Senator David Norris agreed but predicted difficulties for the Irish Government if US Troops apply for asylum in Ireland, ''I guarentee you that the Irish Government will be leaned on in an unmerciful way by the Pentagon and the US State Department.''

Furthermore, Norris believes there will be strong support from many politicians but would be afraid to say so publicly, ''A large number of party members who would be sympathetic to what we are saying on an individual basis but they are 'whipped in' from the top [of their parties] and the impetus is shamefully a financial one.''

''This is not in any way an 'Anti-American' suggestion.'' Michael Birmingham explained, ''This is very much about showing solidarity also with young American men who, as soon as they leave Shannon Airport and land in Baghdad Airport and drive down 'Route Irish' - will be in a war zone with no way out and will be forced to do things that they and their families would be absolutely apalled by if the knew the truth of it.''

Damien Moran, following up, stated ''As St. Patrick's Day approaches we appeal to the Irish government to extend a 'Céad Mile Fáilte' to the brave military resisters in the U.S. refusing to participate in this illegal war.''


American Refugee Claimants and US Prisoners of Conscience

Brandon Hughey - Applied for refugee status in Canada.

Jeremy Hinzman - Applied for refugee status in Canada

Camilo Mejia - On May 21, 2004, 28-year-old Sgt. Camilo Mejia was sentenced to one year in prison for refusing to return to fight in Iraq.

Pablo Paredes - On December 6, 2004 he reported to for duty and refused to board the ship to protest the current US war.

Kevin Benderman - faces a possible court-martial after failing to deploy with his unit.

national / anti-war / imperialism Tuesday February 08, 2005 17:55 by jober as a sudge

A judicial review of Ireland's participation in the US war in Afghanistan will be heard in the Irish High Court on February 8th, 9th and 10th. The case was initiated over two years by Eoin Dubsky, who joined with many others to protest against the US military overflights and refueling when in 2002 most refused to recognise Ireland's part in the bombing of Afghanistan. Previous pre-trial hearings were successful in forcing the State to produce information on US military activity in Shannon.

The case primarily concerns the orders (or waiver of orders) which were made by the Irish government to allow US military flights pass through Ireland for the war in Afghanistan without Dail consent or UN resolutions. An estimated 400,000 American troops have passed through Shannon Airport alone since September 2001. The true number of weapons and explosives which have passed through is unknown.

Unlike the Iraq war, the Irish government never sought the assent of the Irish parliament to allow Ireland's airspace and airports be used for American military flights relevant to the Afghanistan war.

In the aftermath of September 11th the Government said normal conditions were waived in respect of aircraft operating in pursuit of the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1368 "to bring to justice the perpetrators of 911" yet the attacks Afghanistan and Iraq and now Iran have nothing to do with combatting terrorism." Blank Cheque: Revisiting Ireland's decision to refuel US warplanes). Disclosure from cases did reveal that for a period US military troops and cargo passed through Shannon without permissions.

Eoin was arrested for painting peace slogans onto a USAF C-130 at Shannon Airport three days before initiating his case in the High Court, September 2002. In the six months that followed the airport was the sight of many protests and vigils, a peace camp and further direct actions (including Pitstop Ploughshares and Mary Kelly). This judicial review does not effect his previous case and his criminal record (for damaging the warplane). Whether the case will have an effect on US military overflights and refueling depends on what we do with it. There was little response to Ed Horgan's judicial review over Iraq, which established that a neutral country cannot allow movement of substantial armed troops and munitions through its territory but was defeated because Justice Kearns said that Ireland neutrality is only "aspirational" and we are not under any obligation to obey customary international law.

Action: Come along to Court 13 or 14 (ask for Dubsky -v- Ireland), The Four Courts, February 8-11th to lend support.
To contact Eoin phone: +33 6 86789118, +353 87 6941060

Further Info
Public Meeting on Shannon Warport This Friday
Feb. date fixed for Dubsky v Ireland in High Court
Full report on Dubsky Vs DPP in regard to USAF Plane Spray Painting

clare / anti-war / imperialism Wednesday January 26, 2005 22:25 by Ed

UPDATE: ALL CHARGES DROPPED IN COURT TODAY 27/1/05

"Our politicians should be reminded that the killing of one Iraqi person is as much a crime as the killing of Jean McConville"

The 27th January 2005 is the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. A minority of German people, and others, perpetrated the Holocaust but the majority contributed indirectly by their silence. Since 20 March 2004, over 100,000 innocent Iraqis have been killed in an illegal war. The people of Ireland have been complicit in these deaths because we allowed the US military to use Shannon Airport, as a vital part of its war logistics.

On the 27th January 2005, the Shannon boat people, Edward Horgan, Aron Baker and Eibhlin ni Hir, go on trial in Ennis Co Clare, for protesting against this illegal use of Shannon airport. They were arrested during the Bush visit in June 2004, in a small rowing-boat, while peacefully protesting on the river Shannon. They could face a large fine or imprisonment. It took the combined forces of the Irish Navy, the Gardai, the Irish Air Corps, the Shannon Foynes Harbour Authority, with a US warship standing off Irish territorial waters, to arrest this fearsome trio, who were armed with a protest sign saying "Bush Go Home".

This protest was their way of breaking the silence of complicity. Please help publicise the ongoing abuse of Shannon airport, and the killing of innocents in Iraq, by contacting your local media, politicians, and other contacts. During 2004, 158,549 heavily armed US troops passed through Shannon airport, on their way to the war and occupation of Iraq, and we allowed this to happen. It was the likes of this that made the Holocaust possible.

We three appreciate your support, but it is not we who need support, it is the people of Iraq. They also need your peaceful actions to deny Shannon Airport to US troops and munitions. Our politicians should be reminded that the killing of one Iraqi person is as much a crime as the killing of Jean McConville. The killing of 100,000 Iraqis is 100,000 crimes against humanity.

Edward Horgan.

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