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Monday, May 26, 2008

Raytheon 9--Resisting War Crimes Is Not a Crime!

On Wednesday 9 August 2006, nine anti-war protestors, including the civil rights activist and campaigning journalist Eamonn McCann, occupied and closed down the offices of Raytheon at Springtown in Derry, during a protest organised by the Derry Anti-War Coalition. We are writing to ask for your support in their defence campaign.

The action on 9 August was part of a wider protest on the day at the presence of Raytheon, the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world, and their complicity in the murderous Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was, for instance, a Raytheon Guided Bomb Unit which was used in the atrocity in Qana.

Raytheon set up their office in Derry in 1999. Their arrival was announced by John Hume and David Trimble, shortly after collecting their Nobel Peace Prizes. For seven years Raytheon’s presence in Derry has been opposed, with regular vigils, public meetings and debates, marches and appeals to local politicians. The campaign succeeded in getting a motion passed by Derry City Council saying that Raytheon’s welcome would be withdrawn if they were found to be involved in anything other than civilian projects. Raytheon have consistently refused to respond to any enquiries about the nature of their work in Derry. We do know, however, that one of the contracts they were working on is the software for the Airborne Stand-off Radar System (ASTOR) for the British Ministry of Defence. This is a missile guidance system.

The Derry Anti-War Coalition believes that it was legally and morally justified to engage in non-violent direct action to highlight Raytheon’s role as war profiteers and to call for the closure of its offices in Derry. Derry Anti War Coalition is affiliated to the Irish Anti-War Movement and the Stop the War Coalition in Britain, and sees this action as an extension of the mass protests against war which we have helped organise, and have participated in, over recent years.

The nine were charged with unlawful assembly and aggravated burglary, which are scheduled offences under the Terrorism Act. This means the case will be heard before a non-jury Diplock court – unless the charges are reduced. If they are not, all nine protestors could face lengthy jail sentences. They were held in custody for two days and released under very stringent bail conditions. We believe these charges to be unwarranted. No-one was threatened or injured during the occupation. A defence campaign has been established and are asking for your public support. We would greatly appreciate it if you signed the enclosed statement of support. We aim to publish this as an open letter in the local and international press.

We are also raising a defence fund, to help with the costs of the court case and to arrange for the appearance of international witnesses to testify in our defence about the war crimes in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan and Raytheon’s role in them. We would welcome any contribution you might be able to make. Please make cheques payable to Derry Anti-War Coalition, or make donations directly to:

Derry Anti-War Coalition
account number: 00178353
sort code: 11 – 09 – 68
Halifax Building Society, Derry, N Ireland

Youtube from Raytheon 9 Website:
http://www.raytheon9.org/

UPDATE!
The trial of the Raytheon 9 finally got underway today, Tues 20th May, at Laganside Court in Belfast. The day started well with about 50 people congregating outside the Courthouse. 28 of them carried placards with photographs of the men, women and children who died in the Qana massacre of 30 July 2006. A carload of Irish Anti War Movement activists travelled from Dublin and everyone felt good to see so many turn up to show their solidarity when the ‘official’ protest of the day before had been cancelled at such short notice.

As expected, the first day was taken up with legal arguments about the nature of the defence, witnesses etc. They don’t deny that they occupied Raytheon or that they destroyed their computer system but say that they had a legal, moral and political duty to do so in order to stop or at least delay war crimes, in which Raytheon were involved, being carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon.

The judge accepted defence arguments that he should not rule the defence out but allow it to be argued and then, having heard the evidence, he can decide how to instruct the jury on what they can, and cannot, take into account in reaching their verdict.

The judge said that he recognised the difficulties the defendants and their supporters face in getting up and down between Derry and Belfast and ruled that the Court would start no earlier than 10.30am and finish no later than 4pm every day. The trial is expected to last three weeks. We will update the website every evening, though it may be about 9pm before this happens as we have to travel back to Derry first.

We hope to see a big mobilisation on the morning of Tues 27th May - now that we’re sure the trial is up and running.

Thank you for your solidarity and support,

Raytheon 9 / Derry Anti War Coalition

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