The New Dark Age

4 March, 2010 — WWW.SMASHEDO.ORG.UK

SMASH EDO PRESS RELEASE

For more call Chloe Marsh or Andrew Beckett on or info call 07754135290 or email smashedopress@riseup.net

EDO DECOMMISSIONERS WAR CRIMES DEFENCE RULED ADMISSIBLE

An attempt by the Crown Prosecution Service to deny a prevention of war crimes defence to the EDO Decommissioners was defeated yesterday (Tuesday 1st March).

The trial which is due to begin on May 15th at Lewes Crown Court centres around six activists who broke into Brighton-based arms manufacturers EDO ITT during the Israeli assault on Gaza in January 2009 and caused at least £300,000 of damage. Three others are also accused of conspiring with them.

The defendants aim to prove that their actions were taken as a necessary, direct, and proportionate response to the use of weapons manufactured in the U.K by the Israeli airforce. On the night of the decommissioning Elijah Smith, the defendant who remains on remand said “ “I don’t feel I’m going to do anything illegal tonight, but I’m going to go into an arms factory and smash it up to the best of my ability so that it cannot actually produce munitions and these very dirty bombs that have been provided to the Israeli army so that they can kill children”.

The CPS attempted to prevent the defendants from using any defence that relied on their belief that ITT-EDO MBM were supplying weapons components to Israel used in war crimes in Gaza.

Judge Kemp of Lewes Crown Court refused all three prosecution applications and denied them permission to appeal. However the CPS said they would take the matter to the Court of Appeal in London. If they are successful, the defendants will be denied the right to explain their actions in front of a jury, and it would be impossible to call eyewitnesses from Gaza, or show that EDO ITT supply the Israeli airforce. A hearing is due to take place sometime in the next few weeks.

Chloe Marsh press spokesperson for the campaign said “This was an attempt by the authorities to shut down a fair trial for the defendants. There are important questions to be answered about this company’s complicity in war crimes. We welcome the judge’s decision and condemn these underhand attempts to prevent a jury from hearing the full facts of the case.”

Notes for Journalists

In a similar action at a Raytheon factory in Derry in 2006 nine activists caused hundred of thousands of pounds worth of damage in order protect Lebanese civilians under aerial bombardment by the Israeli Air Force. They were acquitted after a jury accepted their defence they were acting to prevent Israeli war crimes after a trial in Belfast in 2007

All nine defendants are represented by Kellys Solicitors, Brighton 01273 674898

EDO MBM, based in Moulsecoomb, is a weapons manufacturer owned by the American multi-national ITT. They make weapon components for the Paveway guided bomb programme, which was the most used aerial weapon in the attack on Iraq. They also own the patents of the Zero Retention Force Arming Unit and the Ejector Release Unit ERU 151, both essential components for the F16 aircraft’s VER-2 bomb rack, used by the Israeli Air Force against civilians in Gaza.

Since 2004 there has been a growing campaign against EDO MBM in Brighton. Campaigners have used diverse tactics to highlight and resist this murderous business in our city. There have been blockades, rooftop occupations, street theatre and hundreds of noise demos outside the factory. Thousands of people have also taken to the streets against them during nationally advertised events.

Contact: Andrew Beckett or Chloe Marsh, Smash EDO campaign Tel: 07754135290 E-mail: smashedopress@riseup.net Website: WWW.SMASHEDO.ORG.UK