Waihopai Ploughshares trial: the verdict is not guilty

I’m pleasantly surprised by the verdict. Commentary in the news says it doesn’t set a legal precedent, because it’s a jury verdict, not a judges ruling, nevertheless I’m sure it will inspire anti-war activists everywhere. The action, the court case and especially this verdict have also done a lot to raise awareness about the spy base and the fact that it’s part of our Government’s support for the US war machine, and nothing to do with defending grassroots people in this country.

~ David

Waihopai Ploughshares trial helped uncover secrets


Waihopai Ploughshares

17 March 2010
 


Adrian Leason, Father Peter Murnane and Sam Land – the three men who were charged with intentional damage and unlawful entry at Waihopai spy base – have today expressed their thanks to the jury, the judge, and the prosecution and defence lawyers.
 


At the conclusion of the trial, Father Peter, Sam and Adrian said they feel privileged to have helped uncover the true nature of the spy base.

“Our actions in disabling the spy base and stopping the flow of information helped save lives in Iraq”, added Adrian.
 


“What has been humbling for us to realise is how our witness has impacted on so many people around the world and at home”, said Sam.
 


“We did not try to avoid the consequences of our actions, because we respect the rule of law although we do believe we are ultimately accountable to a higher authority. We damaged property at the spy base in order to save victims of war and torture. It’s all about Jesus’ command for us to treat all people as our brothers and sisters”, said Father Peter.
 


Ploughshares trial begins Monday

 

The trial of the Waihopai Ploughshares team is set to begin in Wellington on 8 March 2010, and the Wellington Ploughshares Support Group now has a range of activities planned to take place before and during the trial.

This page provides information about the planned activities.

Visit the Ploughshares webstie: http://ploughshares.org.nz/

Waihopai Ploughshares ‘Domebusters’ go on trial, 8 March

At 6am on the morning of 30 April 2008, three members of a Christian Ploughshares team entered the Waihopai spy base and used sickles to deflate one of the two 30 metre domes covering satellite interception dishes. They then built a shrine and prayed for the victims of the war with no end – the so-called ‘war on terror’ led by the United States government which also controls the NZ taxpayer funded Waihopai base.

The trial of the Waihopai Ploughshares team has been set to begin in Wellington on 8 March 2010. More information about Waihopai Ploughshares is available at http://ploughshares.org.nz and http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/plshares.htm. ABC (Anti-Bases Campaign) hold protests at Waihopai most years. This year’s was the weekend before last. It generated more than the usual amount of publicity, because in that weekend’s Sunday Star Times was a story by researcher Nicky Harger – who first uncovered the spy base’s role in the US-run Echelon network – giving evidence about what the bases actually spy on. The collection of this evidence, by local residents and a consultant was made possible because of the bursting of the dome that covers one of the two spy dishes by the Ploughshares activists two years ago. According to Hager:

The Kiwi spy base was pointed at various times at regions occupied by Japanese, Chinese and Russian satellites. On one day in 2009 the target was one of two Asian telecommunications satellites, one Japanese and one Vietnamese, according to the surveyor's measurements.

You can read the full story here. Also well worth listening to is this ten minute interview with ABC organisaer Murray Horton on Christchurch’s Plains FM.