UK Prisoners

Toby Olditch and Phillip Pritchard
Trespass with intent to damage B-52s, Fairford AFB 18/03/03

LATEST NEWS

If you’d like to follow the legal hearing this week (26 – 30 April) at
Bristol Crown Court there will be daily update on www.b52two.org.uk

Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch took action against the B-52 base at
Fairford, Glos., in the belief that the attack on Iraq was illegal under
International law. This hearing will establish whether they are to be
allowed to take their legal defences; necessity, lawful excuse and
prevention of crime to a jury at their trial in the summer.

Supporters are expecting the hearing to finish on Thursday. For further
details on the hearing go to FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) at
www.b52two.org.uk

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To send a message of support to Toby and Phil or write to:
Toby Olditch-JT5132 (denied bail)
Philip Pritchard-JT5131 (denied bail)
HMP Gloucester Barrack Square Gloucester GL1 2JN, UK 
Please put your return address on the back. They would particularly like pictures of gorgeous outside places.

1st UK Legal Challenge To War On Iraq (post-war)
Gloucester Crown Court : Friday 20th June @10:00am.
The 10 Defendants in the cases below will plead 'lawful excuse' for doing, or attempting, criminal damage at RAF/USAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK, in the lead up to and during the bombing of Iraq, on the grounds that war on Iraq was illegal making their actions, or attempted actions, legal.

RAF/USAF Fairford was used as a forward bomber base for the duration of the recent air war against Iraq. The defendants are charged with doing, or attempting criminal damage to a perimeter gate of RAF/USAF Fairford, or the B52 Bombers & vehicles within it.

Before any of these cases can proceed, the judge at Gloucester Crown Court has recognised the need for a pronouncement on the legality or illegality of the war. This is the first time a UK court will have to make a ruling as to whether the war was legal or illegal.

The judge at Gloucester Crown Court has ordered all Fairford Defendants to come to Gloucester Crown Court on June 20th at 10:00am, so that he can sort out the order in which the cases are to be heard. It all promises to get ever more interesting....

THE DEFENDANTS ARE :
Josh Richards (charged with going equipped to cause criminal damage)
Phil Pritchard and Toby Olditch (charged with conspiracy and going equipped to cause criminal damage)
Paul Milling from Birmingham and Margaret Jones (charged with conspiracy and criminal damage)
Kate Holcombe, Geoffrey Cornock and 3 other people (charged with criminal damage to a perimeter gate).

Ulla (48), from Odense in Denmark but currently living in Scotland, is being held on remand at Cornton Vale prison in Stirling. When she appeared at a plea hearing today in Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court a defense submission to adjourn the trial was accepted by Sheriff Liddell. The plea hearing was continued until 24th June in the same court, when a new date for the trial will be set.

Supporters from across Scotland gathered outside the courtroom and gave Ulla a resounding send-off as she left the court in a police vehicle. A spokesperson said: "Lots and lots of people have signed the petition of support for Ulla. They applaud her for disabling a plane that was about to be involved in killing innocent people. She did it in our name."

Shannon trial moved to Dublin

Five anti-war protesters have had their bail conditions amended after their trial for causing €500,000 euro worth of damage to a US naval plane in Shannon was transferred to Dublin.

The five are charged in connection with a February 13 attack on a US naval aircraft at Shannon Airport.

Their case was moved to Dublin last month from Ennis Circuit Court after their counsel, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, argued that they could not be tried fairly in Clare.

The defendants are: Damien Moran, a student priest with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Dublin; Ciaron O'Reilly, a native of Australia now living in Dublin; Nuin Dunlop, a US citizen living in Dublin; Karen Fallon from Scotland but residing in Dublin and Deirdre Clancy, also with a Dublin address.

The five have to sign on twice weekly at a garda station, which will be nominated by the Superintendent at Ennis garda station. They have to notify him of any change of address 24 hours in advance.

They are to stay out of Co Clare unless given permission by the Superintendent in Ennis. All, bar Nuin Dunlop, are to stay outside of a half mile radius of the US Embassy in Dublin. However, this does not preclude Ms Fallon from attending at the UK Embassy in Dublin.

Mr Liam Mulholland from the Chief Prosecution Solicitors told Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that the DPP had no objection to the amended bail conditions.

Judge Hogan listed the case again for mention on November 3 and remanded all five on continuing bail.

Robert Jefferson Dietrich #81196-012
MDC-LA, POB 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90053-1500.
(Attempted exorcism inside Los Angeles Federal Building, 13 March 03 - refused bail conditions, awaiting trial)

Edith Balot #91320-020 (3 months - out 4 July 03) FCI Marianna, 3625 FCI Road, Marianna, FL 32446.

Katherine Brown #91343-020 (3 months - out 4 July 03)
Joyce Elwanger #91382-020 (6 months - out 5 Oct 03)
Michelle (Mimi) Lavalley #91371-020 (3 months - out ??)
FPC Danbury, Pembroke Station Rt. 37, Danbury, CT 06811-0379.

John LaForge (60 days - in 25 April 03)
Jane Hosking (60 days - in 25 April 03)
Dane County Jail, 115 W. Doty St., Madison, WI 53703. (Trespass at Project ELF nuclear submarine antenna, 10 May 03)

More than 7,500 arrests were reported in the U.S. alone during anti-war protests between November, 2002 and mid-April, 2003.

The latest edition of the Nuclear Resister newsletter chronicles this slice of recent anti- war activism that included more than 300 actions in at least 115 cities and towns in 35 states.

Hundreds of people were jailed from overnight to six months, and updated names and addresses of current prisoners for peace are available from nukeresister@igc.org, and soon at www.nonviolence.org/nukeresister

This is our history! Celebrate it, share it, use it to build the movement against the new American Empire.

A FREE sample copy of the 16-page double issue tabloid is available in print only, by request. Please send your postal address to nukeresister@igc.org. Your address will not be shared.

This issue also includes feature articles on the recent trial of Plowshares women in Colorado, now facing 5-8 year sentences; scores of School of the Americas resisters convicted and sentenced to 3-6 months in prison; Vieques Libre!; Phil Berrigan memorial; prisoner writings and addresses and more.

The chronicle of resistance published in the latest issue of the Nuclear Resister reveals the extent to which, early on, protest included active resistance to an invasion of Iraq. Well before U.S. and U.K. troops arrived in Iraq, millions of people were participating in an unprecedented multitude of marches, rallies and protests across the globe. Also widespread were acts of nonviolent civil disobedience in opposition to war. A deeply held conviction against military action in Iraq was shared by many people who had never protested before, and found themselves moved to engage in "extra-legal" activities for which they were arrested and hauled off to court and sometimes jail.

Many blockades, graffiti, sit-ins, unpermitted marches and other actions expected to result in arrests did not in fact end that way. In contrast, police in city after city were quick to arrest people who strayed from the sidewalks or "protest pens," and on several occasions, simply surrounded large groups of peaceful, legal marchers and arrested everyone.

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See Events for details of upcoming court appearances by UK anti-war protestors.