OZ Anti-War Activist O'Reilly on Trial inIreland *Begins July 5 : Melbourne Indymedia

A Brisbane peace activist & four co-defendants from the pacifist Catholic
Worker movement return to Dublin's Four Courts this Wednesday July 5th
for their third trial in 16 months. Long time Brisbane peace activist Ciaron
O'Reilly along with Deirdre Clancy, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran and Nuin Dunlop face a charge of $US2.5million 'criminal damage without a lawful
excuse' charges arising out of their non-violent disabling of a US Navy plane in the early hours of February 3rd 2003 at Shannon airport, six
weeks
before the outbreak of the Iraq war. The maximum sentence they face, if
convicted, is 10 years imprisonment.

The five accused testified in their previous trials last year that they
were
inspired by the biblical mandate in Isaiah 'to beat swords into
ploughshares', a prophecy that has inspired numerous citizens
internationally, lay and religious, to disarm military and nuclear arms
equipment engaged in illegal and immoral activity. Their first trial
collapsed in March '05 at Dublin Circuit Criminal court before Judge
Frank
O'Donnell after the defence counsel successfully argued that the his
role
was tainted with a 'perception of bias'.

A retrial was ordered for October '05 where once again the trial
collapsed,
this time after two weeks of prosecution and defence testimony. Judge
Donagh
McDonagh had little choice but to agree with senior barristers for the
accused that his presence at the 2001 presidential inauguration of
George
Bush was sufficient grounds for the public to perceive the defendants
could
not receive an impartial judicial process.

During the October '05 trial the jury heard expert testimony for the
defence
from former US army staff seargent and Iraq war veteran Jimmy Massey
(http://www.ivaw.net) , former UN Asst. Secretary General Denis Halliday,
twice
Nobel peace prize nominee Kathy Kelly (http://www.vitw.org) and finally
British
military logistics expert Geoff Oxley OBE. Over a hundred international
and
national anti-war activists converged on Dublin for the two previous
trials
where they participated in public witness events and meetings against
the
Iraq war and the U.S. military use of Shannon.

O'Reilly and his co-defendants have attracted support from Irish
M.P.'s,
Bishop Desmond Tutu, Kris Kristofferson, Martin Sheen, Joan Baez and
most
recently Cannes winning Director Ken Loach. A series of events are
again
being organised around the country and internationally to coincide with
the
upcoming trial. In Brisbane friends and family of O'Reilly will gather
at 4
pm outside St Mary's Church and will lead a procession to the old Court
house in the city to hold a solidarity vigil.

Meanwhile in Ireland, the five defendants will gather with their
supporters
each morning of the trial at 9am at the Spire on Dublin's O'Connell st.
and
hold a silent peace walk to the Four Courts in memory of all the Iraq
war
dead. The trial is scheduled to last about two weeks.

O'Reilly spent 13 months in U.S. prisons for disabling a B 52 Bomber
at
Griffis Air Force Base on New Years Day 1991. He is presently featured
in
the "Taking it to the Streets" exhibition at Brisbane's City Hall and
was a
recent guest on Andrew Denton's "Enough Rope" where he discussed the
anti-war action at Shannon and his forthcoming trial.

For interviews with Ciaron O'Reilly Ph. 00 353 87 918 4552
For information about the Brisbane solidarity vigil contact Sean
O'Reilly
Ph. 0408 067 945

More info. re. events/background on the trial http://www.peaceontrial.com

Update
by Ploughshares Support Wednesday July 05, 2006 at 06:08 PM
Text Solidarity- 00 353 87 918 4552 At Large!

They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the third time - July 5th 2006, Dublin Four Courts, Ireland.

http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile) +353 87 918 4552 (international)

CONTENTS
1) Shannon Anti-War Activists Remember the War Dead & Celebrate the Departure of World Airways
2) Pit Stop Ploughshares Join 150 others in Marching on the "HMS Ocean" Docked in Dublin
3) WMD Plowshares Charged with Sabotage-Bond Hearing July 5th. in North Dakota
4) Daily Routine of Trial Kicking Off Wednesday July 5th.
5) International Call for Solidarity Vigils on July 5th
6) Wed July 5th. Public Meeting "Iraq War, Guantanemo & Ireland"
7) Mark Thomas Comedy Gig for Afri
8) Thurs July 13th. - Public Meeting "Iraq War on Trial"
9) Public Meetings "Iraq War on Trial" Fri. July 14th. Cork, Sat. July 15th., Sun. Belfast July 16th.
10) International Support at Trial
11) Help Fund the trial

1) SHANNON ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS REMEMBER THE WAR DEAD & CELEBRATE THE DEPARTURE OF WORLD AIRWAYS

On July 1st. local anti-war activists celebrated the last World Airways U.S. troop carrying flight from Shannon. World Airways has carried 50% of the 600,000 U.S. troops who have passed through Shannon Airport on their way to U.S. wars on Afghanistan & Iraq. World Airways has relocated to Leipzig, Germany.

Photos & report on link.....
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77008&comment_limit=0&c...56876

2) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES JOIN 150 OTHERS IN MARCHING ON THE HMS OCEAN, DOCKED IN DUBLIN

On June 29th members of the Pit Stop Ploughshares joined 200 other anti-war activists in marching on the HMS Ocean, docked in Dublin port. The British Navy ship, used extensively in the war on Iraq, was docked in Dublin to win hearts & minds to promote a new British beer, recruitment, wine, dine & seduce NGO's. Speakers at the dockside recounted that the British Navy had bombed Dublin in 1916, enforced genocidal sanctions on Iraq in the 1990's and played an esssential role in 'Operation Telic' (Invasion) on Iraq.

See link for photos & report......
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76968

3) "WMD PLOWSHARES" CHARGED WITH SABOTAGE HAVE BOND HEARING JULY 5TH. IN NORTH DAKOTA

Former soldier Greg Boertje-Obed, Oblate missionary priest Carl Kabat & Vietnam Veteran Michael Walli had no problem finding Weapons of Mass Destruction in the heartland of the United States. Something the U.S. military have failed to do in 3 1/2 years of their illegal occupation of Iraq. The three carried out a nonviolent plowshares disarmament action on an E-9 nuclear missile silo in North Dakota on June 20th. The three remain in custody and have been charged with sabotage. They have a bond hearing set for July 5th.

More info & photos on the link below.....
http://www.jonahhouse.org

4) DAILY ROUTINE FOR EACH DAY OF TRIAL - KICKS OFF JULY 5TH.

*We will gather in anti-war vigil from 8.30 am at The Spire on O'Connell St. each morning of the trial.
*Around 9.15 am (depending when the trial is slated to start that particular day) we will process in silence in single file carrying the names of the dead (Iraqi & U.S.) in memory of the dead to the Four Courts.
*We will have a circle at the Four Courts, some reflections and folks will be briefed with the logistics for the day.
*We hope to sustain a vigil with the Buddhist monks outside the Four Courts while the trial is in process...a roster will be created each morning.
*The court usually finishes at 4pm so we will then proceed each day to the Franciscan friary refectory on Merchants Quay (main entrance - Directly opposite the Four Courts). Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be served (free). Supporters are asked to come before 5pm as the public entrance closes after that - txt 087 9184552 or 087 9638398 if you cannot gain access. We have this space up to 8pm each evening.

5) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE

At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.
Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This got a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!
If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e

*BRISBANE
5th of July
4pm - 6pm
speakers

Walk from St. Marys Church corner of Merivale and Peel St, South Brisbane, to the old court house, Cnr George St & Adelaide St in the City.

Post Vigil drinks at the Criterion Tavern, across the road from the old court house.

Contact Imagine for more information 0404 903 402

*MELBOURNE
Vigil for the Pit Stop Ploughshares
Friday 7th July 2006, 5pm-6pm

Office of the Honourary Irish Consul
Cnr Queen & Little Lonsdale Sts, Melbourne
(same place as last time)
Contact-pwdyson@yahoo.com

*PERTH
- Contact - Jarrod McKenna oi_jarrod@hotmail.com

*LONDON
Members the Oxford Catholic Worker will be vigilling at the Irish Embassy, at 17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1 on 5th, 6th, and 7th of July, 12noon-2pm.
Nearest tube is Hyde Park corner. 5 minutes walk from the Embassy, behind Buckingham Palace.
-Contact Sr. Susan Clarkson srclarkson@yahoo.co.uk

*WASHINGTON DC -
Contact - Art Laffin artlaffin@hotmail.com

*NEW YORK CITY
-Contact Carmen Trotta trottacarmen@yahoo.com

6) WED JULY 5TH. *PUBLIC MEETING
"IRAQ, GUANTANAMO & IRELAND"
Wed July 5th. 7.30 pm
Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin city.

*Carmen Trotta - U.S. citizen who walked to Guantanemo in December.
http://www.witnesstorture.org
*Teresa Grady - U.S. Anti-War Resister
http://www.stpatricksfour.org
& the Pit Stop Ploughshares Defendants
http://www.peaceontrial.com
Ph.087 918 4552

7) WED JULY 12TH.- MARK THOMAS COMEDY GIG FOR AFRI
(Action from Ireland)
in his new anti-arms trade/torture equipment show
"As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela"
http://www.mtcp.co.uk/

ADMISSION - â‚¬ 20

TIME - 9pm

VENUE-The Laughter Lounge
Eden Quay (just off O'Connell St.)

Tickets available from Afri only
Ph. 01 882 7563
Web:http://www.afri.buzz.org
Email afri@iol.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough, Dublin 7

*Purchase of tickets in advance is strongly recommended.

8) PUBLIC MEETING THURS. JULY 13TH. "IRAQ WAR ON TRIAL" - DUBLIN

7pm, ATGWU Hall 55/56 Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1
.
*Iraq War Veteran, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey
*Kathy Kelly "Voices in the Wilderness", present during the Shock & Awe bombing of Baghdad

9) PUBLIC MEETINGS
CORK JULY 14TH, GALWAY JULY 15TH, BELFAST JULY 16TH.
Speakers
*Iraq War Veteran, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey
*Kathy Kelly "Voices in the Wilderness", present during the Shock & Awe bombing of Baghdad
Friday July 14th. Cork-Venue to be announced.
Saturday July 15th.3PM Galway-Town Hall.
Sunday Belfast-Venue & time to be announced.

10) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
The folks we know who have indicating they are coming to trial in Dublin are Martin, Scott, Chris & 2 other LCW's (London CW), Carmen (NYCW), Kathy (Chicago), 3 Pax Chrsiti women (Manchester), Sr. Marta (Buddhist Peace Pagoda Milton Keynes),
Sylvia (England), Roisin (Brisbane)

If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.

*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

11) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
*If you are in Australia & wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Ciaron O'Reilly"
38 Elbury St.
Mitchelton
Brisbane
Q.40533

More information
http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

E-mail: dbamoran@yahoo.com

Polish mobile: 0048 607340093
Irish mobile: 00353 879638398

http://www.peaceontrial.com
http://www.geocities.com/dublincatholicworker
Related Link: http://www.peaceontrial.com

Pit Stop Ploughshares will resume Monday July 10th. at Dublin's Four Courts with appointment of Judge, jury selection & prosecution.

Anti War Vigil 8.30 am at The Spire, O'Connell St. (Next to GPO)
Peace Walk to court 9.15 am
Court & Anti-War vigil outside of court from 10 a.m.

For reports from Wed. July 5th. se the link below

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77054

Ploughshares Support will maintain an anti-war vigil this Thurs & Fri outside the GPO 12noon-2pm.

*Further updates info & background http://www.peaceontrial.com

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77054

See other Melbourne Indymedia story:

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/07/116376.php

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1666150.htm

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76749?comment_limit=0&condense_comments=false#attachment22002

Trial Day 2 Report
by Ploughshares Support Tuesday July 11, 2006 at 11:48 AM
00 353 87 918 4552 (text solidairt) Dublin's Four Courts

Update from Ploughshares Support
author by Ploughshares Supportpublication date Tue Jul 11 00:31:32 2006author address At Large!author phone 087 918 4552

DAY 2 OF TRIAL

A Call for Solidarity from the Pit Stop Ploughshares on Trial in Dublin's Four Courts
July 10 2006

They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the third time - July 5th 2006, Dublin Four Courts, Ireland.

http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile) +353 87 918 4552 (international)

CONTENTS
1) Trial day 2 report July 10
2) Pit Stops Join the Call forthe Assault on Palestine to Cease
3) Daily Routine of Trial Kicking Off Wednesday July 5th.
4) International Call for Solidarity Vigils
5) Mark Thomas Comedy Gig for Afri
6) Thurs July 13th. - Public Meeting "Iraq War on Trial"
7) Public Meetings "Iraq War on Trial" Fri. July 14th. Cork, Sat. July 15th., Sun. Belfast July 16th.
8) International Support at Trial
9) Help Fund the Ploughshares on Trial

1) DAY 2 OF THE TRIAL OF THE PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES AT DUBLIN'S FOUR COURTS
Check Link for Report & Photos the pit stop ploughshares
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77156

2) PIT STOPS JOIN THE CALL FOR THE ASSAULT TO CEASE ON PALESTINE
Saturday July 8th. the Pit Stop Ploughshares & Support Joined a protest in the Dublin Rain to Call for the Israeli's State Assault on Palestine to Cease.

Check link for photos & report of the demonstration
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77119

3) DAILY ROUTINE FOR EACH DAY OF TRIAL -

*We gather in anti-war vigil from 8.30 am at The Spire on O'Connell St. each morning of the trial.
*Around 9.15 am (depending when the trial is slated to start that particular day) we will process in silence in single file carrying the names of the dead (Iraqi & U.S.) in memory of the dead to the Four Courts.
*We will have a circle at the Four Courts, some reflections and folks will be briefed with the logistics for the day.
*We hope to sustain a vigil with A Buddhist nun outside the Four Courts while the trial is in process...a roster will be created each morning.
*The court usually finishes at 4pm so we will then proceed each day to the Franciscan friary refectory on Merchants Quay (main entrance - Directly opposite the Four Courts). Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be served (free). Supporters are asked to come before 5pm as the public entrance closes after that - txt 087 9184552 or 087 9638398 if you cannot gain access. We have this space up to 8pm each evening.

4) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE

At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.
Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This scored a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!

This past week saw solidarity vigils at the Irish Embassy in Washington DC & London, at the irish Consulate in Melbourne, the Scales of Justice statue in Brisbane & the Irish tourist bureau in Belfast. This coming week will see solidarity vigil at the Irish Embassy in Warsaw.

Photos & reports of the solidarity vigils that have taken place can be found on the day 1 of Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial feature on
http://www.indymedia.ie

If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e

5) WED JULY 12TH.- MARK THOMAS COMEDY GIG FOR AFRI
(Action from Ireland)
in his new anti-arms trade/torture equipment show
"As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela"
http://www.mtcp.co.uk/

ADMISSION - Ã¢â€šÂ¬20

TIME - 9pm

VENUE-The Laughter Lounge
Eden Quay (just off O'Connell St.)

Tickets available from Afri only
Ph. 01 882 7563
Web:http://www.afri.buzz.org
Email afri@iol.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough, Dublin 7

*Purchase of tickets in advance is strongly recommended.

6) PUBLIC MEETING THURS. JULY 13TH. "IRAQ WAR ON TRIAL" - DUBLIN

7pm, ATGWU Hall 55/56 Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1
.
*Iraq War Veteran, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey
*Kathy Kelly "Voices in the Wilderness", present during the Shock & Awe bombing of Baghdad

7) PUBLIC MEETINGS
CORK JULY 14TH, GALWAY JULY 15TH, BELFAST JULY 16TH.
Speakers
*Iraq War Veteran, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey
*Kathy Kelly "Voices in the Wilderness", present during the Shock & Awe bombing of Baghdad

*Friday July 14th. Cork
Time 8.30pm
Venue- Metropole Hotel

*Saturday July 15th.3PM Galway-
Time-3pm
Venue-Irish Centre for Human Rights, Earls Island
More Info- 087 741 3741

*Sunday Belfast-

7.30pm, Sunday 16th July
Peace House, 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast

Called
by Peace People, INNATE, Zero28
Details: 0773 781 9569
jntcx@bonbon.net

http://www.peacepeople.com
http://www.innatenonviolence.org
http://www.zero28.org

8) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
The folks we know who have indicating they are coming to trial in Dublin are Martin, Scott, Chris & 2 other LCW's (London CW), Carmen (NYCW), Teresa (Ithaca CW, NY) Kathy (Chicago), Sheila (Manchester), Sr. Marta (Buddhist Peace Pagoda Milton Keynes), Sylvia (England), Caroline (Brisbane)

If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.

*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

9) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
*If you are in Australia & wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Ciaron O'Reilly"
38 Elbury St.
Mitchelton
Brisbane
Q.40533

More information
http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

E-mail: dbamoran@yahoo.com

Irish mobile: 00353 879638398

http://www.peaceontrial.com
http://www.geocities.com/dublincatholicworker
http://www.peaceontrial.com

Report Trial Day 3 (J11)
by Ploughshares Support Wednesday July 12, 2006 at 05:45 PM
00 353 87 918 4552 (text solidairt) At Large!

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77179

Please come and support

Justice for Ciaron O'Reilly and the Pit Stop Plowshares

PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES VIGIL

Friday 14th 12.30 - 1.30 pm
Outs ide Consulate General of Ireland
400 George St Sydney

Cnr King and George Sts

Court Report - Ploughshares Trial - Day Four (J12)

1) Ploughshares Trial Day 4 (J12) Report
2) Ploughshares Trial Day 4 (J12) Photos
3) Mark Thomas Supports Ploughshares

1) PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 4 REPORT

Day 4 of the Trial

Due to some delays at the start today, the jury wasnï¿½t brought in until 11.35.

Ciaron was called to the stand, and after being sworn in and told to make sure that the microphone was close to him, he immediately decommissioned it. The Court was treated to a comical interlude as Ciaron crawled around on the floor of the witness box trying to put it back together. The jury was dismissed again as it became apparent that Ciaron was better at breaking stuff than fixing it. They returned four minutes later after a court official improvised the job......

Court report continues on link below......
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77207

2) PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 4 (J12) PHOTOS

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77200

3) MARK THOMAS SUPPORTS PLOUGHSHARES

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77206

1) Ploughshares Trial Day 5 (J13) Report
2) Support from Spiritan Chapter
3) Ciaron interviewed by Canadian Broadcasting Commission radio

4) Daily Routine of Trial Solidarity
5) International Solidarity at Irish Embassies & Consulates
* Sydney Report & Belfast promo
6) Cork Fri 14th.
* Galway Sat 15th.,
* Belfast Sun. 16th.
Public Meetings
"Iraq war on Trial"
+ Report on Dublin public meeting held Thurs July 13th.
7) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
8) International Supporters Accomodation
9) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund

1) PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 5 (J13) REPORT

The following is a short summary. Apologies for deficiencies and errors. Quotation marks are not intended to mean that the quotation is an exact rendering of what was said.

Karen, Deirdre and Nuin completed their witness in the course of the day.

At the end of the day, as Kathy Kelly was called to give evidence, the Judge sent the jury home early and, after an hour of legal argument, said that she would make her decision in the morning as to whether or not to allow Kathy on the stand.

Earlier in the morning, the prosecution continued its cross-examination of Karen. It was interrupted four times by Senior Counsel Brendan Nix who objected to the line of questioning being pursued.

Day 5 (J13) court report continued on link below...........
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77228

2) SUPPORT FROM SPIRITAN CHAPTER BEING HELD IN DUBLIN

The Spiritan (Holy Ghost Fathers) Provincial Chapter has been running in Dublin during the Pit Stop Ploughshares trial. The Spiritans are a missionary order working in Asia & Africa. Damien Moran was a seminarian with the order at Kimmage when he was arrested at Shannon Airport with the Pit Stop Ploughshares.

The Spiritans provided accomodation & hospitality to Damien & Ciaron when they were released on bail from Limerick Prison following the action. Several Spiritans have attended demonstrations against the war and the three trials in Dublin.

23 of the monks gathered for their provincial chapter in Dublin signed the following statement......

"Spiritans gathered at Emmaus Conference Centre for their Provincial Chapter send a message of support to Deirdre, Karen, Nuin, Ciaran & Damien of the Pitstop Ploughsares, currently on trial in Dublin for disarming a military aircraft at
Shannon Airport which was involved in an immoral (Pope John Paul 2) and illegal (Kofi Anan) war against the people of Iraq.

We salute your courage and generosity and we trust and pray that the Irish Court system will exercise the true justice your integrity deserves".

3) CIARON INTERVIEWED BY CANADIAN (CBC) RADIO

(Part 2) "As it Happens" Link-
http://www.cbc.ca/radioshows/AS_IT_HAPPENS/20060707.shtml

4) DAILY ROUTINE FOR EACH DAY OF TRIAL -

*We gather in anti-war vigil from 8.30 am at The Spire on O'Connell St. each morning of the trial.
*Around 9.15 am (depending when the trial is slated to start that particular day) we will process in silence in single file carrying the names of the dead (Iraqi & U.S.) in memory of the dead to the Four Courts.
*We will have a circle at the Four Courts, some reflections and folks will be briefed with the logistics for the day.
*We hope to sustain a vigil with A Buddhist nun outside the Four Courts while the trial is in process...a roster will be created each morning.
*The court usually finishes at 4pm so we will then proceed each day to the Franciscan friary refectory on Merchants Quay (main entrance - Directly opposite the Four Courts). Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be served (free). Supporters are asked to come before 5pm as the public entrance closes after that - txt 087 9184552 or 087 9638398 if you cannot gain access. We have this space up to 8pm each evening.

5) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE

*SYDNEY REPORT
"Dear PitStops,
In solidarity with the Pit Stop Ploughshares mob, we held a vigil today (Friday 14 July) outside the Consulate General of Ireland, 400 George St, Sydney, Australia.

present were

Dr Vacy Vlazna, Coordinator Acheh Papua Moluccas Human Rights Online
Ego Lemos, East Timor's leading rock musician ('Cinco Do Oriente'/ Five of the Orient)
Pamela Bryce
Ciaron's friend, Sr Marnie Kennedy - Redfern Parish (sister of Fr Ted Kennedy)
Fr Claude Mostowik- Convenor PAX CHRISTI (Australia), National Convenor of MSC Justice Matters
Jefferson Lee -Australia East Timor Association

A reporter from the expat Irish Echo interviewed us.

Please keep us updated on the trial

We're right there with you in spirit and prayers

Vacy

*BELFAST SOLIDARITY PICKET OF IRISH TOURIST BUREAU
Join the picket on Castle Street

Anti War activists will be holding a picket, leaflet distribution and
collection of signatures in support of the Pitstop Ploughshares 5 at the Irish Tourist Board offices Castle St., Belfast, on Friday the July 14th between 1pm and 2pm.

It's our intention to carry at least 2 activities per week
during the duration of the trial.

All help, support and solidarity welcome!

Join us in solidarity with the Pitstop Ploughshares as they face the southern courts for acting to protect lives in Iraq.

Organised by Anti-War Ireland

At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.
Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This scored a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!

This past week saw solidarity vigils at the Irish Embassy in Washington DC & London, at the irish Consulate in Melbourne, the Scales of Justice statue in Brisbane & the Irish tourist bureau in Belfast. This coming week will see solidarity vigil at the Irish Embassy in Warsaw.

Photos & reports of the solidarity vigils that have taken place can be found on the day 1 of Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial feature on
http://www.indymedia.ie

If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e

6) PUBLIC MEETINGS
CORK JULY 14TH, GALWAY JULY 15TH, BELFAST JULY 16TH.
Speakers
*Iraq War Veteran, U.S. Marine Sgt. Jimmy Massey
*Kathy Kelly "Voices in the Wilderness", present during the Shock & Awe bombing of Baghdad

*Friday July 14th. Cork
Time 8.30pm
Venue- Metropole Hotel

*Saturday July 15th.3PM Galway-
Time-3pm
Venue-Irish Centre for Human Rights, Earls Island
More Info- 087 741 3741

*Sunday Belfast-

7.30pm, Sunday 16th July
Peace House, 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast

Called
by Peace People, INNATE, Zero28
Details: 0773 781 9569
jntcx@bonbon.net

http://www.peacepeople.com
http://www.innatenonviolence.org
http://www.zero28.org

*DUBIN REPORT
50 people attended the Dublin public meeting Iraq War on Trial on Thursday night July 13th. The meeting was chaired by Harry Browne, Kathy Kelly shared about her prison time in the U.S. for nonviolent resistance. She reflected on her childhood & formation and emphasised the obligation 1st. World people have with those of countries our governments have invaded occupied & exploit. Jimmy Massey reflected
on the killing of his father by Florida state troopers, his childhood growing up in a trailer park in Texas, his recruitment by the U.S. marines as an "economic conscript" and his experineces in Iraq. Ciaron O'Reilly reflected on the nonviolent resistance community building around the trial of the Pit Stop Ploughshares and his journey with Catholic Worker & Plowshares communities in Australia, U.S. England & Ireland and the ongoing trial.

7) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
Venue to be Announced
In the meantime give the guy a google, he's great!

8) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS
The folks we know who have indicating they are coming to trial in Dublin are Martin, Scott, Chris & 2 other LCW's (London CW), Carmen (NYCW), Teresa (Ithaca CW, NY) Kathy (Chicago), Sheila (Manchester), Sr. Marta (Buddhist Peace Pagoda Milton Keynes), Sylvia (England), Caroline (Brisbane)

If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.

*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

9) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
*If you are in Australia & wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Ciaron O'Reilly"
38 Elbury St.
Mitchelton
Brisbane
Q.40533

More information
http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yaho

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230

REPORT - Trial Day 7 (J17)
by Ploughshares Support Tuesday July 18, 2006 at 07:34 PM
00 353 87 918 4552 (text solidairt)

They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORT Day 7 (J17) -Reports, Links, Updates, Events

They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time

-http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)

1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Trial Day 7 (Mon July 17th) in Dublin
2) Kathy Kelly to Testify Tuesday July 18th.10.30 am Court 23 Four Courts
3) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
4) Prison Solidarity Workshop
5) International Solidarity at Irish Embassies & Consulates
* Belfast Vigil & Leafletting Ongoing at Irish Tourist Bureau
6) Further Photos, Reports & Debates Arising from Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey meetings in Dublin, Galway, Cork & Belfast

7) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
8) International Supporters Accomodation
9) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund

1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL RESUMES IN DUBLIN- MON. JULY 17TH.

Report Ploughshares Trial Day 7 (J18)
categoryauthor by justin morahan - Peace People
Tense day waiting

.The whole morning was given over to legal argument while the jury were asked to return at 2 p.m.

Late in the afternoon, Dr Jean Allain of Queen's University Belfast was called as a witness for the defence. Dr Allain studied law in Canada, Los Angeles and the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva where he researched the League of Nations., spent six months in The Hague, as a law clerk at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. One of his books is on International Law in the Middle East.

In evidence, Dr Allain said that after 1945 the UN established a charter that outlawed war. Henceforth war could take place only if the UN Security Council authorised it or if it was for self defence. Asked if, in his opinion, the war in Iraq(2003) was lawful under either of these two conditions, he replied "No - and that is not just my opinion". Resolution 1441 of the Security Council did not authorise the war. The Security Council uses "a trigger mechanism" in its resolutions which is always there if it is agreeing to the legality of a war. The mechanism is the phrase "by all means necessary".. Resolution 1441 did not use that phrase but decided to "remain seized of the matter" This meant that the power to go to war was not given (to the US and Britain)

Asked about the Bush doctrine of the legality of a pre-emptive strike for self defence he said that most international jurists disagree with this "doctrine". There is a international consensus among jurists on this - apart from conservative American authors.

When, in cross-examination, the Prosecuting Counsel Conor Devally asked if this issue had been tried in a domestic court in Ireland or Britain, the witness replied:
"I don't study domestic law", When a further similar question was asked there was an objection from Senior Counsel Brendan Nix who said that the Prosecution was attempting to give evidence by means of a question.

The jury was sent out again

After legal argument the witness agreed with Junior Counsel for the Defence, Muireann Brogan, that the UN Charter was different from the League of Nations in that the Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. (The League could only delay the issue of war).
Asked if Governments could be tried if they didn't follow these rules, he replied that in the 1980s the US was found, by the International Court of Justice, to have been in breach of international law. (Nicaragua versus the United States). Both countries agreed at the start that they would accept the outcome.
Asked what punishment applied when a country so breached the law, he said "In international law, there is no police force. . . you cannot put a State in jail. You can take only limited action."

Kathy Kelly was called to the stand very late in the evening but Defence Counsel asked for a postponement of her evidence until tomorrow.

The trial continues Tues (J18) at 10.30 a.m.

2) KATHY KELLY TO TESTIFY TUES (J18) COURT 23, DUBLIN'S FOUR COURTS

Renowned peace activist brings truth to the courtroom

Kathy Kelly is a person of profound integrity, who knows how to walk the walk. She will testify at the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares tomorrow in the Four Courts. In a climate in which the issue of Iraq and the use of Shannon has been put on the back burner for many, Kathy Kelly is there to remind us of what things are like on the ground for the ordinary people of Iraq as they continue to struggle with the ongoing daily realities of depleted uranium effects and ever escalating violence. Kathy has been a loyal and consistent supporter of the five on trial, having travelled to each of their trials and remained consistent in her support throughout the three-and-a-half years of legal proceedings.

Continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77292

3) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL

Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238

IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.

4) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD

Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.

a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (http://www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (http://www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (http://www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)

b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.

The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
http://www.jonahhouse.org

c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!

5) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE

*Tuesday (J18) vigilling & leafleting continues once again outside the Irish Tourist Bureau in Belfast.
More info link below..
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77267

*Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml

If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e

6) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST

"How could you kill my...."
"Those words ring in my ears and haunt my dreams every night. Those words came from an Iraqi man after we shot into his car at a checkpoint near the Baghdad station. We had given a hand and arm signal to stop but they did not. There were four Iraqis in the car three of them were fatally wounded." - Former US Marine, Jimmy Massey.

Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230

* Extra Photos from Dublin Meeting & Liverpool Catholic Worker Resurfaces!

More photos including one of a resurfaced Liverpool Catholic Worker. The Liverpool CW was born out of the trial & acquittal of the Seeds of Hope" Ploughshares trial in July '96.

The Liverpool Catholic Worker saw a community of CW's & East Timorese exiles sustain a rhythym of steady resistance at British Aerospace, Warton, Lancashirre where the "Seeds of Hope" disarmament of aBritish Aerospace (BAe) Hawk Fighter which had taken place Jan' 03 The Hawk was in Indonesian Air Force markings days from export to Indonesia in its genocidal war on the people of East Timor.

East Timor is now free of a genocidal Indonesian military occupation, expert witness at the trial, Jose Ramos Horte, is now East Timor's Prime Minister, the "Seeds of Hope" gather iin Liverpool for their 10th. anniversary.

The Liverpool CW faced a sustained backlash from the BAe corporation & British state that included high court injunction, arrests & infiltration by Lancashire Special Branch & a private intelligence corporation (that also ran 6 agents in Campaign Against the Arms Trade).
(See "The Damage Done Alan Fossey & the Liverpool Catholic Worker" as a subsection of
http://www.spinwatch.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=sh...part1

Before their understandable disintergration the Liverpool CW's produced a wonderful t-shirt inspired by a derogotory remark by the then Home Secretary Jack Straw at a Confernce on Prison "Scousers are always up to Something!" You betcha Jack! Later popularised by the punk rock director Alex Cox ("Repo Man", "Sid & Nancy", "Walker" "Highway Patrolman") on dodgy late night British TV & while making his latest film "Revenger's Tragedy. He later adopted the t-shirt as a signature for his film production company "Avenging Angel"
Continued on link below.....
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77286

7) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN
"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation

8) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS

As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 London CW's left last Friday, our 2 New York CW's are due to leave this coming Wednesday. Jimmy Massey leaves today (Tuesday). We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.

*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.

*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

9) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290

More information
http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
http://www.peaceontrial.com

Folks who were (& weren't) at the prison & solidarity workshop after the trial day on Monday.

Here is the link to rough minutes of that meeting & suggestions of solidarity organsing should we hit jail.

We have been informed by our legal team that (worst case scenario) we could be taken into custody/ remanded without bail by the Judge as early as Wed evening (most likely Thursday). It would be hoped if things go that way we would be granted bail until seentencing. It would be hoped (even with the presnt absence of a vibrant anti-war movement in the streets of Ireland) that we get acquitted .

Prison & Solidarity Workshop Link , please contribute reflections & suggestions

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77298

If folks who shared their prison reflection at the high quality workshop could post some as "comments" on the link above. Even folks who weren't there could share their reflections on the link above. If you want to support us if & when we hit jail feel free to contribute solidarity suggestions on the link above.

For what there worth.
Here's my reflectionson on prison & solidarity....

Reflections on Jail & Solidarity-Ciaron O'Reilly- Pit Stop Ploughshares
author

Some of us shared our scariest times.

The last time I saw Nathan "The Colosus of Boggo Rd." Jones, he was getting his throat slashed by Brad Pitt in the opening scenes of"Troy". The first time I saw him I was in my 20's and in Boggo Rd. (max security) Jail Brisbane , for refusal to pay a fine for nonviolent civil disobedience. The screws tried to intimidate me by leaving me solo in a yard with Nathan for the day.

In the meantime Nathan finished his 8 years for a series of armed robberies in Tasmania (go figure? Tassie population 400,000, Nathan is 6' 10"....not sure how he was planning to blend into the crowd?), got himself an agent and ended up in WWF and now he's in the movies.There's a photo of Nathan here on this link....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jones_(wrestler)

Part of the spin off of Brisbane actvists refusing to pay fines and doing jail time was prisoner solidarity work which climaxed with us (prisoners & advocates) closing Boggo Rd Jail down. As prisoners took action on the inside we were able to speak on the outside about conditions, start a Prisoners radio Show that is still going & do solidarity demonstrations outside the jail and street speak downtown when there were hunger strikes and guys on the roof. One of the best prisoner activist on the inside I met was Gary Gray. He died to young. here's an obituary I wrote at the time....

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2000/414/414p12.htm

The longest stint I've done so far has been 13 months in New York & Texas County Jails & Oklahoma & Louissiana Federal Pens. I was in the ANZUS Plowshares community with Bill, Sue & Moana we had disarmed a B-52 Bomber ('91 Rome AFB, upstate New York) on the eve of the Gulf War. I ended up being flown on Con Air to the Texas border & shipped into the outback.

I was the only white guy in the jail & was in a cage with 23 other men for 9 months. I found the first month very difficult. the amount of support mail I recieved made the guards back off from harrassing me and made me popular with the stamp collectors. The next 8 months were manageable. I was pretty disciplined about spiritual & physical exercise, serious & light reading & writing and trying to be helpful to other prisoners. Out of my correspondence came a journal that produced a book "Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed" that was published in the U.S. here's a chapter from the early period of the sentence....

http://vof.cat.org.au/visions/cairon.htm

The 5 months jail time following the Jabiluka Poughshares was also interesting for a white australian as Darwin's Berrimah Prison was approx 95% aborigine inmates/ 95% white staff. This is an article about a small resistance action I pulled off in jail against DNA testing......

http://www.serve.com/nukeresister/nr119/nr119ciaron.html

The last stint was in Limerick Prison remanded after the Pit Stop Ploughshares. The old Dan Berrigan maxim "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!" makes a lot of sense following a serious action. The five of us entered jail and fasted for 5 days, staying put soaks up the seriousness of the nonviolent resistance to the war and fasting tells your body your in a different place. here's aletter I wrote at the time...

http://www.themanifesto.co.uk/witness/articles/letterCi....html

I lived with Phil Berrigan at Jonah House (Baltimore, Maryland, USA) for the best part of a year. Phil would say "friends in jail for peace speak to our conscience, which is the way God speaks to us". here's some articles by & about PhiL who spent 11 of his last 30 years in prison for nonviolent resistance to the war machine
http://www.jonahhouse.org/phil.htm
Related Link: http://www.peaceontrial.com

PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL REPORTS & UPDATES -Reports, Links, Updates, Events

They're in Court for Us, We're on the Loose for Them!

Pit Stop Ploughshares: Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien Moran & Ciaron O'Reilly On Trial for the Third time, Four Courts, Dublin, Ireland.

http://www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7, Ireland
Ph. 087 918 4552 (mobile)+353 87 918 4552 (international)1)

1) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 11 Briefing ( Fri July 21st)
2) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Day 10 Briefing ( Thurs July 20th)
3) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 9 (Wed July 18th.)
4) Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial Report Day 8 ( Tues July 17th.)

5) Jeb Bush in Town (Dublin) Friday July 21 st.12 noon Conrads Hotel
6) Prison Solidarity Workshop
7) Call for International Solidarity/ Anti-War Vigils at Irish Embassies, Consulates & Sites of Significance in the War Effort on Iraq-for Friday July 21st. (Verdict Day)-Reports & Photos from Previous Solidarity Vigils
8) Reports, Photos & Debate Arising Out of Kathy Kelly/ Jimmy Massey "Iraq War on Trial" Public Meetings in Dublin, Cork, Galway & Belfast.

9) July 22nd. David Rovics Benefit Gig
10) Pine Gap Crew go to Trial Oct in Alice Springs, Australia *Kicks Off Oct 3.d
11) Fairford 5 Go To Trial Oct in Bristol Crown Court, England *Sept.4th-18th.
12) International Supporters Accomodation
13) Financial Support for Ploughhsares Defence Fund

1) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL VERDICT DAY FRI JULY 21ST.

Judge will charge the Jury Fri 10 am Court 23 Four Courts, Dublin. Jury will be sent out!

2) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL CLOSING ARGUMENTS THURS JLU 20TH.

3) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 9 (J19)

*****KATHY KELLY'S EVIDENCE BELOW IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN - AS IT WAS GIVEN IN FRONT OF THE JURY - FEEL FREE TO PUBLISH OR POST*******

4) PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL DAY 8 (J18) REPORT

Kathy Kelly's evidence

SUMMARY
Kathy Kelly finally gave her evidence on Tuesday.
She spoke quietly about the chilling effect of the sanctions that had been imposed on Iraq after the 1991 war, of the devastation caused to the country, the lack of water and electricity, the ilnesses and diseases, the lack of medical supplies due to veto, the deaths of over 500,000 children between ages 0 to 5, the deaths of 1.5 million Iraqis due to sanctions (a quarter of the estimated number of Holocaust victims), the fear of the people before the Shock and Awe blitz of March 2003, how she related her first-hand experiences to the defendants, her acquaintance with Denis Halliday who had resigned as Assistant Sec General of the UN because of his disagreement with the sanctions. Mr Halliday who was sitting in the court..was pointed out by Senior Counsel Brendan Nix She described in detail the photos she had brought from Iraq which became part of the defendants' shrine

In a day of high drama, there were numerous objections raised, followed by interruption of evidence and jury retirements.

KATHY KELLY'S EVIDENCE
Tuesday 10:43 a.m.

Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy Kelly to verify that she was from Chicago, has an Irish passport as well, and has travelled to Iraq many times since 1991. He also mentioned that, with others, she founded Voices in the Wilderness in 1996, and that the organization brought medicines and other relief to Iraq having realized that the economic sanctions didn't cause direct harm to Saddam Hussein but were instead causing children to suffer. Kathy stated that Voices in the Wilderness obtained information from UNICEF and other organizations, but also reported back, following travel to Iraq, about their own experiences. Members sometimes stayed with families in Iraq.

Asked about why she first visited Iraq in 1991, Kathy stated that she was part of a peace team encamped on the Iraq side of the IraqÃ¢â‚¬â€œSaudi border during the first Gulf War, the Desert Storm war. The Gulf Peace Team members believed that their lives were not any more or less valuable than the lives of civilians and soldiers and that perhaps if peace activists took the same risk required of soldiers they would have a better chance of voicing opposition to the war.

Kathy returned to the United States in August, 1991.

The next time she visited Iraq was in March,1996, with Voices in the Wilderness, and after that she made regular visits (21 times) before the 2003 outbreak of the Shock and Awe bombing and invasion. Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy when the Shock and Awe bombing began. She said that it began on March 20, 2003, but that in a sense the war had never ended. There was regular bombardment, and Kathy had witnessed some of it, in what the military called a "softening up," before the Shock and Awe campaign had even been announced.

Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy about the length of her visits to Iraq. She said they were normally 10Ã¢â‚¬â€œ12 days, but at one point she had lived in the Jummuriyah neighbourhood of Basra during the summer of 2000 for 10 weeks and that she had stayed in Iraq throughout October and November and until Christmas Eve of December, 2002, during the build-up for the Shock and Awe bombing. Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy what she had experienced during those ten weeks. She said that people she knew felt sure they were gong to be hit by U.S. bombs but didn't know when. Many remembered the 1991 bombing and were fearful. They feared they would run out of water, that their electricity would be destroyed, their homes damaged. Some tried to dig wells, but this was a futile attempt because they couldn't get drinkable water. Many moved away from Baghdad if they could. But those who lived near military installations were especially fearful.

The U.S. Army issued a 1991 report which stated that after the first Gulf war, just six more months of economic sanctions would cause epidemic levels of water-borne diseases, such as cholera, typhus, dysentery and diarrhoea. Only 20% of the bombs dropped by the U.S. hit their intended targets in 1991, but those bombs completely destroyed Iraq's electrical grid, wiping out the water purification systems that depended on electricity.

The Judge interrupted, stating that Ms. Kelly was only to speak from her own personal experience.

Mr. O'Kelly then asked Kathy to speak about shortages in the hospitals. Kathy spoke of shortages of medicines, even to cure regular diseases, such as respiratory diseases that could turn into pneumonia if one lacked antibiotics. They lacked anesthetics for surgery. Kathy said that she visited many hospitals, each time she went to Iraq, and saw terrible shortages. Rubber gloves were being used for blood collection, Ã¢â‚¬Â¦

Judge Reynolds interrupted, saying that Ms. Kelly had been called to tell about what she had told the defendants when she encountered them.

Mr. O'Kelly then asked Kathy to clarify that she had attended the FÃƒÂ©ile BrÃƒÂde conference in 2003, that she had gone back to the United States at the end of December, 2002, and at the end of January she travelled to Ireland on her way back to Iraq. Kathy stated that AfrI had invited her to speak and that she had told the audience about Voices in the Wilderness, about the Iraq Peace Team, and about their decision to remain alongside ordinary people, in Iraq, who had given them so much hospitality in the past. The Iraq Peace Team members felt they shouldn't walk away from Iraqis at a dangerous time. She stated that in her opinion they bore a great responsibility at a time when there was inadequate coverage, in the U.S., of the effects of the economic sanctions. She wanted to tell people at the conference about the current situation in Iraq and about how frightened Iraqi people were. Given the shortages of electricity, medicines and water which they already experienced in Iraq, if the war caused more destruction, doctors would be unable to cope with new epidemics.

Mr. O'Kelly then asked Kathy if she spoke directly with the defendants. She said that she had spoken with Ciaron, whom she had known for many years, and that she also recalled speaking with Damien and Deirdre. She remembered talking about responsibility to raise public awareness at a grave moment.

Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy if she had given the defendants photographs. She said that she had given them enlarged and laminated photographs. Mr. O'Kelly asked if these photographs were then used by the defendants as part of a shrine they set up and Kathy said yes, these were the photographs. She proceeded to present each of five photographs which were submitted as evidence.

The first photograph showed a smiling little girl who was exceptional because she was able to go home from the hospital. She was healthy. The photo was taken in 1996 by Rick McDowell.

The next photo showed six year old Noor, who suffocated under debris when a bomb hit her street in the Jumurriyah neighbourhood of Basra on January 25, 1999. The photo was taken by Nebil Al Jorani, a photographer working for a hotel in Basra. He was hired to photograph tourists, but there weren't many tourists in Basra at that time. The bomb that hit the street in Jumurriyah was intended to hit a fertilizer factory, but it missed the target. The same day, another bomb was fired and this one also strayed and hit a little girl, Isra, tearing her arm off, in the village of Abu Falous . The third photograph showed Noor's father holding the limp and lifeless body of another of his children. This photo was also taken on January 25, 1999 by Nebil Al Jorani.

The fourth photo was taken by Kathy's friend, Chuck Quilty, in 1996. It showed a child in an advanced stage of malnutrition

In the fifth photo, a doctor was showing a doctor with a child suffering from "wasting," or acute malnourishment. The doctor pinches the child's flesh to show how the flesh falls from the bones. Kathy stated that a friend of hers, Martin Thomas, was in a hospital ward with her and he stated, "I think I understand. It's like a death row for infants."

The Judge interrupted to instruct Ms. Kelly to speak only from her own experiences.

Mr. O'Kelly said that the defendants were aware of Madeleine Albright's statement that 500,000 children had died in Iraq. The jury may not be aware of this. Judge Reynolds asked Kathy what Madeleine Albright had said. Kathy recalled that in May of 1996 a U.S. television program called "60 Minutes" had interviewed Madeleine Albright. At the time, she was the U.S. Representative to the United Nations. Leslie Stahl, the interviewer, said to Ms. Albright, "Ms. Albright, I mean, more children have died in Iraq than in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. Over a half million children have died and, I mean, is it worth the price?" Ms. Albright responded, "Yes, Leslie, it's a difficult choice to make, and I'm a humanitarian person, but the price, we think the price is worth it." Leslie Stahl then asked, "Worth it?"

Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy if she spoke to the defendants about what should be done. Kathy said that she felt they were responsible to find non-violent ways to raise the awareness of people and to help them realize that Iraqis committed no crime against us. Judge Reynolds asked Kathy what she meant by "us." "Well, I'm from the United States ," Kathy replied, "and the Iraqis hadn't done anything to hurt us."

Mr. O'Kelly asked Kathy if she was looking for volunteers to go with her to Iraq. Kathy said it was very difficult to get visas at that point, and that she was concerned that the members of their group not grow so large that they would lose control and find themselves used by the Iraqi government as human shields. She said that she hoped each person would do what they could to stop the warfare and help voice the concerns for Iraqis who otherwise might not be heard.

CROSS-EXAMINATION

Mr. Devally (for the Prosecution) stated that Voices in the Wilderness was begun in 1996 to give background and raise awareness regarding the effects of economic sanctions and that the participants wished to dramatize a challenge to the economic sanctions. He said that the FÃƒÂ©ile Bride event was giving voice to concerns of the poor and that in the U.S. there had not been enough knowledge about the sanctions, wasn't that so? Kathy added that she believed that if the U.S. people had understood the effects of these sanctions they wouldn't have stood for it.

Mr. Devally asked if Kathy would agree that mention of Ms. Albright's remarks, along with the pictures she showed, would give rise to anger on the part of people who were hearing Kathy's talk. Kathy said that she believed all of the people hearing were responsible for what had happened in Iraq, not just Ms. Albright, and that part of the problem was that Ms. Albright was never challenged. At the time that she made that remark, she was the U.S. Representative to the UN. Not a single op-ed piece challenged what she said. Instead, she was raised to the highest position a woman in the U.S. had ever held, - she was made Secretary of State.

Mr. Devally then said that if sanctions were imposed by the U.N., but steered by the U.S., and if products were vetted by the U.S., wasn't it likely that the combination of pictures and callous statements would induce anger? Kathy said that she would have failed any gathering if she only caused people to feel anger. People must feel a responsibility to try and challenge the policies.

Mr. Devally said that he understood Ms. Kelly was not trying to foment hatred.

MR NIX CROSS-EXAMINES

Mr. Nix then asked Kathy if it was true that the definition of a child, according to UN researchers, was a child of five years or less. Kathy said that was true.

Mr. Nix asked what the UN had found regarding the number of people whose deaths were contributed to by economic sanctions. Kathy said that economic sanctions contributed to the deaths of 1.5 million Iraqi people. Mr. Nix remarked that this was a quarter of the Holocaust figure. Kathy agreed.

Mr Nix asked if previously Iraq had an advanced system of health care and if it wasn't a place that people from surrounding countries came to, for surgeries and other health care. Kathy said that Iraq's health care had been regarded as enviable by many people in surrounding countries. Mr. Nix then asked if the United States had not threatened to bomb Iraq back into the stone age. She said that was correct.

Mr. Nix then referred to two tapes which the defendants had mentioned. Was Kathy familiar with them. Kathy said yes, that one was called "Paying the Price." Mr. Nix asked if this was not a reference to the quotation from Madeleine Albright. Kathy said it was.

She said that John Pilger had made the film and that he had invited Mr. Denis Halliday to go with him to Iraq. Mr. Nix asked if Denis Halliday was an Irish man who, as Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, had taken over the "Oil for Food" program? Kathy said that was correct.

Mr. Nix then asked if it was true that any member of the UN could embargo every item sought by Iraq. Kathy said that was true and that sometimes it took one and one half years just to fulfill one contract under a very bureaucratic system.

Mr. Nix then asked if it was true that Denis Halliday had publicly resigned his position from the UN. Kathy said that this was true, that Mr. Halliday wanted to be able to speak publicly about his view of the economic sanctions which he later stated were genocidal.

Mr. Nix asked if the man in the pink salmon shirt (pointing to a man seated on one of the side benches) was not Mr. Denis Halliday. Kathy said that yes, that is Mr. Halliday.

MR O'HIGGINS CROSS-EXAMINES

Mr. O'Higgins then asked Kathy if it was true that under the Oil for Food program Iraqis would list items they wanted in exchange for their oil. Mr. O'Higgins clarified that the items sought were not expensive cars or luxury items, but rather items needed for indigent people including such basics as medical supplies.

Kathy stated that food and medicine were never embargoed but that Iraqis couldn't afford to buy these products when they weren't allowed to sell their oil. She noted that in 1989, Iraq had imported 90 percent of its pharmaceuticals and 70 percent of its food. They couldn't afford basic medicines and medical equipment, such as kidney dialysis machines, or medicines needed to cure chronic diseases. They also couldn't get equipment needed to rehabilitate their electrical systems or their oil refineries.

Mr. Devally, the prosecutor, interrupted to remind Mr. O'Higgins that the witness is not an expert on international law.

Judge Reynolds instructed the jury to leave.

When the jury returned, Mr. O'Higgins observed that the UN had been set up to eliminate war and establish means of peacekeeping and to accomplish this through various organizations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. He stated that these organizations had been involved in collecting raw data about what was happening in various countries and that this data was as nearly as possible considered apolitical and objective.

Mr. O'Higgins then asked if the figure given by the UN of 500,000 children under age 5 dying in Iraq was given much press coverage. Kathy responded that on August 12, Carol Bellamy, the UN coordinator of UNICEF had held a press conference to deliver these findings, but the coverage was meagre. The Wall Street Journal had devoted two sentences, and there was none from the other ten mainstream U.S. media resources. Mr. O'Higgins asked if the Wall Street Journal was known worldwide. Kathy said that was correct.

Mr. O'Higgins then mentioned the bombing of Iraq that began in 1991 and began to suggest that it did not end. Mr. Devally stood to object and Judge Reynolds asked the jury to retire.

When the jury returned, Mr. O'Higgins asked Kathy to clarify that she had experience being in Iraq in 1991 and during bombing in 1998 and that in each instance the United States had carried out the bombing. Kathy said this was true. He asked if it was true that she had shown photographs from a bombing in 1999. She said this was true.
He then asked Kathy to explain what she meant when she had referred to "Shock and Awe" bombing. Kathy began to say that this was a military term, but at that point Mr. Devally interrupted

Mr. Devally said that he was being placed in a position of appearing to attempt to prevent the jury from hearing evidence by registering what he believed to be legitimate objections. Mr. O'Higgins then asked for a ruling, in the absence of the jury, on whether or not he was entitled to pursue his questions.

Judge Reynolds asked the jury to leave

When the jury returned, Mr. O'Higgins asked Kathy what Shock and Awe refers to. Kathy said that it was a military term describing an attack that is so heavy that the enemy can't possibly respond in any way.

Mr. O'Higgins asked when this took place in Iraq. Kathy said that it began on Day 3 of the U.S. bombardment, on March 23rd, 2003

End of Kathy's testimony

The remainder of tuesday was spent dealing with legal matters in the absence of the jury

(Apologies for any errors, omissions, inaccuracies or or deficiencies in the above report)

5) JEB BUSH IN TOWN (DUBLIN) FRIDAY 12 NOON CONRAD HOTEL

Death penalty enthusiast, brother of George Junior and possibly future Pesident of the United States of America, Jeb Bush, is coming to Dubin this Friday to speak at Conrad Hotel
hosted by Meteor. A variety of anti-war & human rights groups
are organising criticalreceptions. AY are hosting a noise demonstration at 12 noon
Conrads Hotel, Earlsfort Tce 12noon
Check lnk for map and more info
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77238

IAWM, NGO Peace Allaince & PANA kick off their protest at 12.30pm.

6) PRISON SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP HELD

Following the conclusion of the court scene of Trial Day 7 (J17). Pitstops & solidarity activsts gathered at the Franciscan Church opposite to the Four Courts to
a) Share experiences of prison & solidarity
b) Reflect on how we can support our present anti-war prisoners (both civilaian & military
c) Discuss how we can best support anti-war activists (present company excluded hopefully) during future prison time.

a) Kathy reflected on her approx 2 years of U.S. County Jaisl & Fed Prison time in the U.S. & the experience of being hogtied (http://www.soaw.org archives)
-Carmen (NYCW) on being set up by the NYPD for assault & a week in Rikers Island (pop 10,000) & receent experience of The Tombs (NYC)
-Martin on his 2 years in Rikers & 2 years in English prisons.
-Fr. Martin on his 4 months in Bedford Prison & 2 months in Belmarsh (London) max security.
-Scott on nights in police stations & a night in the Milton Keynes supermax.
-Eamonn on being bashed in police custody.(Ireland)
-Karen, Deirdre & Damien (Pitstops) on their time in Limerick Prison (http://www.peaceontrial.com).
-Justin on 6 months in Mountjoy Prison in the ' 70's (Ireland)
-Ciaron on his 13 months (USA) in Texas & New York County Jails & Louissiana & Oklahoma Fed Pens ("Bomber Grounded, Runway Closed", Rose Hill Books USA 1993), 5 months in Darwin Jail & short stints in Boggo Rd. (Brisbane) max security n the '80's. How prison solidarity work contributed to the closure of that barbaric prison. (Australia)
-Fintan on his 60 days in Limerick Prison following outbreak of the war (Ireland).
-Teresa (http://www.stpatricksfour.org) on her recent release from 4 months in U.S. County Jail & Fed Detention.(USA)

b) Solidarity from the outside anti-war movement was seen as basic to sustain the imprisoned anti-war resister & make it safer from attacks by prison staff & hostile (proactive minority,usually younger, fellow prisoners.) Acknowledgement as anti-war resistance grows within the militaries & civil society there will be more anti-war prisoners.

The "Prison Addresses" section of the following website was recommended as the best source for updated prison addresses primarily for U.S. anti-war prisoners & some internationals.
http://www.jonahhouse.org

c) Proposals & Suggestions
-that a group of 4 (Joe, Dave, Cathy, Fintan) be set up immediately if Ireland gets 5 new anti-war activist prisoners real soon! The 4 would coordinate outreach to sympathetic groups to politicise the imprisonment as a resistance to the war, nourish the activists in terms of the basics (visits, money for stamps, support during crisis etc), vigils (weekly at Mountjoy, monthly at Irish embassies), sustain the website (imprisoned activists encouraged to write reflections on war & custody).
-Similar solidarity collectives to be set up in Australia, England, Poland Scotland, U.S.
-to ask folks to do what they do best for the imprisoned resisters (punk musos & gig organisers to do benefits, artists to do posters, stickers, writers to wrote articles publicisng the incarceration as statements against ongoing Irish complicity in the war, walkers to walk, vigillers to vigil, priests to celebrate mass outside the jails, samba folks to make some noise outside the jails etc. Eamonn to finally finish his film!

7) INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR SOLIDARITY VIGILS ON JULY 5TH. AT IRISH EMBASSIES, CONSULS & SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR FRIDAY JULY 21ST. (VERDICT DAY)

At our past court appearances solidarity vigils against ongoing Irish complicity in the war on Iraq have been held at Irish Embassies & Consuls in Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Melbourne, Vancouver, London, Dili (East Timor), Brussels, Gotenburg,, Auckland. Also solidarity vigils were held at Bishop Romero's grave (El Salvador), the Berlin Gate, US Air Force Base at Christchurch Airport (New Zealand), Shannon Airport, Belfast, Scales of Justice statue Brisbane, statue in Budapest and an Irish theme bar in Amsterdam.

Before our first trial in march last year, a group of nonviolent activists staged a solidarity sit in at the Irish Embassy in London. This scored a lot of media attention as it was such a "man bites dog story" after 30 years of Irish protests at British Embassies, we have a crew that stages a British protest at an Irish Embassy!

This first week of our 3rd. trial saw solidarity vigils at the Irish Embassy in Washington DC & London, at the irish Consulate in Melbourne, the Scales of Justice statue in Brisbane & the Irish tourist bureau in Belfast. This coming week will see solidarity vigil at the Irish Embassy in Warsaw.

Photos & reports of the solidarity vigils that have taken place can be found on the day 1 of Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial feature on
http://www.indymedia.ie

*London & Oxford catholic Workers have maintained a daily solidarity vigil outside the Irish Embassy in London during our 2nd. week of trial.

*Anti-War ireland & Friends have sustained regular vigils & leafletting in Belfast.

*Dublin Playwrite & thespian Donal O'Kelly will dedicate his performance of "The Cambria" in Kinsale this Thursday night to the Pit Stop Ploughsares 5.

*David Rovics is dedicating his song " Who Would Jesus Bomb?" to the Pit Stop Ploughshares 5 at his gigs on his present tour of England & Ireland.

*Melbourne Vigil Photos & report
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77054?author_name=Paul&...57690

*Photos & report from solidarity vigil held outside the irish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
http://poland.indymedia.org/pl/2006/07/21903.shtml

If you have friends travelling or living in other parts of the world. Approach them to stage a solidarity vigil on the first day of our trail at an Irish Embassy or Consul. Have them email us about their gathering'
The list of consuls & embassies, can be found on the link below.........
Related Link: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/embassies/?m=e

8) REPORTS, PHOTOS & DEBATES ARISING FROM KATHY KELLY/JIMMY MASSEY PUBLIC MEETINGS IN DUBLIN, CORK, GALWAY & BELFAST

"How could you kill my...."
"Those words ring in my ears and haunt my dreams every night. Those words came from an Iraqi man after we shot into his car at a checkpoint near the Baghdad station. We had given a hand and arm signal to stop but they did not. There were four Iraqis in the car three of them were fatally wounded." - Former US Marine, Jimmy Massey.

Reports, Photos & Debates arising continued on
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77230

9) SAT. JULY 22ND. DAVID ROVICS TO PLAY BENEFIT GIG FOR PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES IN DUBLIN

"The Bull & Castle" (opposite Christchurch Cathedral" at the top of Dame St.)
5-7 Lord Edward St.
Christchurch D2
Dublin
*ENTRY by donation

10) PINE GAP CREW GO TO TRIAL IN ALICE SPRINGS KICKS OFF OCT 3RD.
Catholic Workers & Friends called "Christians Against All Terrorism" were arrested and charged aftercarrying out a citizen's inspection of CIA/NSA Pine Gap warfighting sattelite base near isolated Alice Springs in December go to trial in October. Trial occurs on the 20th. anniversary of Pope John Paul 2nd.'s historic visit to Alice Springs. (pop 20,000 in the dead centre of Australia!)
http://www.pinegap6.org
http://sydney.indymedia.org/node/37813

11) "FAIRFORD/B52 FIVE" GO TO TRIAL SEPT 4TH.-18TH. IN BRISTOL CROWN COURT, ENGLAND

Five folks go to trial in Bristol Crown Court in October facing charges from 3 disarmament & attempted disarmament actions at U.S. Air Force B52 Base in Fairford, England. Actions took place in lead up to out invasion of Iraq.
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25213

12) INTERNATIONAL SUPPORTERS COMING TO TRIAL & HOSPITALITY NEEDS

As we go into the second week of trial we are understandably losing a lot of our international supporters who have been working fulltime on trial support & understandably have to return home. 2 1/2 more London CW's left last this morning, our 2 New York CW's have extended thir stay until Monday. Jimmy Massey left Tuesday. Kathy Kelly leaves Saturday. We grow more dependant on local support rising to the occasion.

*If you are planning to come to trial and need help with accomodation please mail ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie
We can't guarantee accomodation if you turn up spontaneously, so please email us first if you need help with accomodation.

*If you are based in Dublin and can offer a bed or floor space to an international peace activist please mail us and state for which dates you can offer accomodation
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie

13) TRIAL DONATION DETAILS

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO TRIAL EXPENSES:
You can do so by donating in the following ways.......
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

*If you are in the U.S. and wish to donate, please make cheques payable to
"Kim Driscoll"
2400 Tuna Canyon Rd.
Topanga
CA. 90290
USA

*In AUSTRALIA
Make cheques payable to
"Ciaron O'Reilly"
38 Elbury St.
Mitchelton
Brisbane
AUSTRALIA

PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL CLOSING ARGUMENTS REPORT DAY 10 (THURS J20).

An Account of the Submissionsmade by counsel for the Prosecution & the Defence Before the Jury.

Today's submissions were quite lengthy so this isnecessarily an incomplete account of all that was said. Pleae add corrections & ommisions on newswire post on http://www.indymedia.ie as comment.

Counsel for the defence and prosecution summed up their cases before the jury. The judge will summarise for the jury tomorrow and continue on Monday, at which point the jury will retire to consider their verdict. The prosecution got the day rolling with a lengthy submission from Mr Devally.

His main line of argument was that the defendants did not have a "lawful excuse" to commit the action. Under the law if a person charged with the offence has a lawful excuse for damaging property he or she will not be found guilty of criminal damage.

One of his arguments was that the accused did not just seek to directly impede the US military in its impending invasion but also sought to raise the consciousness of others as to what was happening in the Middle East. He argued that in this democratic society (sic) this was an incorrect way of effecting change. Either one could seek a ruling from the courts as to the legality of Ireland's role in the war with regards to the use of Shannon or one could march in the street as on February 15th 2003 or one could lobby elected representatives to change the government's policy and ultimately one could change the representatives at an election.

Counsel for the prosecution also attempted to downplay the importance of the testimony of the expert military witness that the defendants action could have saved life and property in Iraq. He argued that the causal chain was too difficult to understand and he introduced a scientific concept called chaos theory, the popular version of which states that a butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon could cause a hurricane in Florida. Similarly with regard to the actions of the accused it was difficult to say if they had any impact on the lives and properties of Iraqis.

The prosecutor laid before the jury various examples of what he considered would amount to lawful excuse (e.g. breaking into a burning building). He argued that the action of the defendants was not reasonable in the circumstances. There were other ways of acting on their honestly held belief that the US military's use of Shannon Airport should be halted, such as requesting the police to intervene or the government to take appropriate action.

There were three separate submissions from three barristers acting for the defendants. They differed considerably in style.

A theme running through the day was the emphasis on the right of the accused to the presumption of innocence. It is for the prosecution to prove guilt, not for the defence to prove innocence. If the jury have a genuine doubt, it doesn't even have to be a massive doubt, as to the guilt of the accused (in any criminal case) they should acquit. This applies right across the board so if the accused put forward a defence, in this case that they had lawful excuse to damage property, then it is for the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they didnâ€™t. If doubt remains, then acquittal should follow.

As there was agreement on the basic facts of the case, the main arguments revolved around the issue of lawful excuse, though at times counsel were not averse to referring to wider issues such events in the Middle East in attempting to give context to their arguments.

The first submission from the defence argued that any wider issues such as whether the defendants hoped that their actions might contribute to the raising of awareness of the impending war, was not actually relevant to the charge as before the courts. The fact that they may have done so did not remove the defence that they also had lawful excuse under the law. That lawful excuse was that they honestly believed that their actions could help save a life and property in Iraq. He went on to argue that not only was their belief honestly held, but that their action was reasonable in those circumstances. The damaging of the infrastructure of war contributes to the lessening of the ability of that war machine. He gave the example of the German counter-offensive in Belgium in 1944 where the Axis forcesâ€™ counter-attack came to a halt due to a lack of petrol for their vehicles rather than a military defeat on the field. The importance of background infrastructure to a war should not be underestimated.

The second barrister for the defence adopted a more oratorical style and emphasised the intentions and courage of the accused and the destruction caused by war. He made frequent reference to the Bible, notably the Sermon on the Mount and its "Blessed are the peacemakers" speech, and said the defendants were attempting to practice in a sincere way their religious beliefs, beliefs to which many people pay nominal heed but is not always followed.

The third counsel for the remaining two defendants reverted to a more analytical approach and contested some of the prosecution's core claims. It was noted that it is for the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants did not have lawful excuse. It is not for the defendants to prove that they did have it. He went on to argue why he considered the prosecutions case to fall short of ascertaining that level of confidence and that a jury must acquit if they had doubts.

He read back some of the prosecutions descriptions of the case which he claimed were classic indicators of doubt. For example, the prosecution had said that the defences evidence was strong and that the case was a difficult one to decide.

He noted that some of the prosecutions hypothetical examples of what would constitute a lawful excuse were inadequate to prove that this defence did not apply. For example, the prosecution repeatedly used the scenario of a burning house which a person damages in order to save life. The prosecutor had said this would be justified, but that this example was very different to the case being tried as one could not say that there was an emergency situation. The police or some appropriate body should have been called to deal with the situation. The defence counsel countered that the analogy was inappropriate as the Dail in 1997 had removed the word "immediate" from the legislation and that the prosecution's reliance on emergency-style examples did not reflect accurately the case on trial. There was no imperative for the defence to show that their action was prompted by an immediate threat. He also rebutted an example of destruction of tobacco being exported to a country with no health warnings as being an inaccurate analogy to the case in hand.

The prosecution's arguments, counsel for the defence submitted, did not impinge on the defendantsâ€™ right to rely on the defence of a "lawful excuse". While the prosecutor might think that it may open an appalling vista of posse-style justice, that was a matter that he or the Director of Public Prosecutions should take up with the Minister for Justice with a view to changing the law. The law as it stands, however, enables an accused of relying on the defence and so, it was argued, the prosecution had fallen short of inducing reasonable doubt on this issue.

Mr O'Higgins went on to challenge Mr Devally's grasp of science and chaos theory. He referred back to the expert witness on military affairs. That expert had given evidence that there was a reasonable possibility actions of the accused could have saved life and property could neither be ruled in nor out. Counsel for the defence noted that the prosecution had not called any expert witness to counter this evidence, nor had they sought to challenge his testimony. The defence argued that as an expert witness could not rule out the reasonable possibility that their actions saved life and property, then the actions could fairly be said to be reasonable, and therefore the jury should acquit. This was so as it was for the prosecution to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was not reasonable yet they had not challenged the expert witness nor brought their own expert witness to give evidence to the contrary.

It was also submitted that the great majority of legal opinion on International Law were of the view that the American-led war in Iraq was illegal and that while it wasn't for an Irish court to decide that issue, it was an opinion worth bearing in mind when considering the actions of the defendants. It is in this context that one of the defendant's statements make sense, namely, he didn't go to Shannon "to commit a crime; I went to Shannon to stop a crime".

audio
mp3 22mins 43 secs - http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/2006.1.cor2.mp3

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/77405&comment_limit=0&condense_comments=false#comment160058

Mr Devally

He thanked the jury for their patience and said he had to make an apology at the outset. He had omitted to say that all accused in every trial comes with a Presumption of Innocence. The Judge told you about half way though the trial. It means that all accused of any crime are innocent until proven guilty. The presumption of innocence is very important because it means that it's up to the Prosecution to prove each element of the case and to negative every element of the Defence in all matters. This presumption of innocence goes all the way from the beginning to the end of a trial

The presumption is only displaced if and when the jury decide otherwise.

Mr Devally apologised for this omission and said that it probably had happened because of the unusual nature of this case. Usually there had to be debates about the facts of what had happened but here there was no dispute about the main facts - none of the five was saying "I wasn't there" and none of them was saying "I didn't know what I was doing". The accused admitted through their Statement of Faith that they did the action - there was no argument about this. So the sting of the Prosecution had been removed - it was an unusual case.

The jury has to deal with the facts of the case and there is not a great deal of controversy concerning the facts.: On 3 February 2003 all five defendants (named) entered Shannon airport, went to the hangar, erected a shrine, looked under a door to see a US Navy plane, smashed the glass to open the door, surprised the sole Garda present in the hangar, used a mattock and hammers to damage the plane - the jury would see the pictures of the damage caused.

Mr Devally said that what was in dispute - and the job of the jury to decide - was whether or not what they did amounted to an act of criminal damage, or whether they had a lawful excuse.

All four of us (he and the Defence Counsels) will do our best to explain the law, but the judge is the final person whose interpretation of the meaning of the law must be accepted.

The section of the Criminal Damage Act under which the defendants have been accused is:
In Section the words

"A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property belonging to another intending to destroy or damage any such property or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged shall be guilty of an offence."

In the present case there is no question of the accused being reckless - they intended to do what they did.

The accused used different wording in giving their reasons. They all agreed on the wording “to beat swords into ploughshares.”

The operations man at Shannon airport gave evidence that no one had permission to enter there other than the Garda and the U.S. military and other such authorized persons. This is not in dispute.

The plane belonged to the U.S. Navy. This is not in dispute.

All that is left re this section of the charge is the question of lawful excuse. Do you accept from the evidence volunteered by the accused that they had Lawful Excuse? All the other elements of a crime are there.

The Criminal Damage Act 1991 states:

"A person charged with an offence to which this section applies shall, whether or not he would be treated for the purposes of this Act as having a lawful excuse apart from this subsection, be treated for those purposes as having a lawful excuse . . .

( c ) if he damaged or threatened to damage the property in question .... in order to protect himself or another or property belonging to himself or another ... . and, at the time of the act or acts alleged to constitute the offence, he believed

(i) that he or that other or the property, right or interest was in immediate need of protection, and

(ii) that the means of protection adopted or proposed to be adopted were or would be reasonable having regard to all the circumstances."

There were long hours of debate in your absence, and it wasn’t idle debate, as to how the Judge should guide your interpretation of the law.

Mr. Devally then said he would present his effort to help. He asked the jurors to consider whether or not the act was reasonable by imagining what was going on in the minds of the accused...was there a line there which if they crossed it, it would be unlawful...a line what’s going on in the minds…

There are subjective and objective facts or sets of circumstances. With regard to the subjective feature in assessing each one (we have their Statement o