Showing posts with label Raytheon 9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raytheon 9. Show all posts

12/06/08

Response of Raytheon 9 to their acquittal

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87945
Statement issued by the DAWC, calling for Raytheon to be prosecuted
The six anti-war activists who occupied arms manufacturer Raytheon's offices in Derry and destroyed its computers have been acquitted by a jury in Belfast. Derry Anti War Coalition calls on the office of the Attorney General and the Crown Prosecution Service, in light of the jury's verdict of 'not guilty' to criminal damage charges, to institute an investigation into the activities of Raytheon at its various plants across the UK, with a view to determining whether Raytheon is a criminal enterprise.

Raytheon disappointed by verdictBBC News, The defence company Raytheon has said it is disappointed that six men accused of destroying property at its plant in Londonderry were found not guilty. ..http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7449983.stm

Raytheon 9 acquitted

Applause as jury clears 'Raytheon Six' of chargesBelfast Telegraph, United Kingdom - There were jubilant scenes in a Belfast court yesterday as six anti-war protesters were unanimously acquitted of destroying property belonging to ...

McCann seeks war crimes inquiry against Raytheon Belfast Telegraph, United Kingdom - Journalist and campaigner Eamon McCann is calling on the British authorities to investigate the arms firm Raytheon for war crimes. ...

N.Irish jury acquits men in Raytheon break-in case Reuters - USA The defence argued their action was taken to prevent war crimes in Lebanon by Israeli Defence Forces using Raytheon missile systems and to save civilian ...

Jury acquits Raytheon protesters BBC News -Six Londonderry anti-war protesters accused of destroying property belonging to US defence company Raytheon have been acquitted. ...

Jury acquits Derry Raytheon protestors RTE.Six men have been unanimously acquitted of destroying property belonging to defence technology company Raytheon during an anti-war protest in Derry. ...

Raytheon 6 cleared Derry Today - He also called on politicians and the citizens of Derry "to say in unequivocal terms that Raytheon is not welcome in our city". ..., control room operator for ...

McCann seeks war crimes inquiry against Raytheon By BreakingNews.ie / TCM journalist and campaigner Eamon McCann is calling on the British authorities to investigate the arms firm Raytheon for war crimes.

Trial of the Raytheon 9 ...Eamonn McCann is a founder of the1960s civil rights movement in Northern Ireland, a veteran socialist and trade unionist, and one of Ireland's most widely read journalists. He is the author of War and an Irish Town, Bloody Sunday in Derry: What Really Happened and other books.

..........Meanwhile Bush has been invited to Belfast as man of peace with the hope of further U.S. investment with no mention of restrictions on weapons manufacturers such as Raytheon http://www.counterpunch.org/harkin05302008.html

Related Links: www.raytheon9.org Indy.ie coverage Raytheon 9 Pamphlet

05/06/08

More anti Raytheon Demos in Wales


Daily Post, UK -DEMONSTRATORS held a protest outside a the Flintshire plant of a defence industry firm in support of peace activists prosecuted for occupying the firm’s ...

Bril pics here!!Solidarity demo at Broughton on day Raytheon 9 trial collapsesIndymedia UK, Campaigners from Wrexham, Chester and beyond held a demonstration outside the Broughton Raytheon factory this afternoon in solidarity with the Raytheon 9. ...

04/06/08

Raytheon Nine Prosecution collapses!!! Congrats to Raytheon 9!

Judge thows case out. Maith thu!

At Belfast Laganside court today, the trial of the Raytheon Nine xxxxxxxxxxxx. The defendents from Derry Anti War Coalition walked xxxxx after the judge xxxxxxxx the case for xxxx of evidence. Throughout the trial the Nine have maintained that their actions were legitimate as an attempt to prevent war crimes.

The judge was forced to xxxxxxthis when he stated that the defendents had acted to prevent destruction in Lebanon. This is a major victory and vindication of the action of the Derry Anti War Coalition and the Raytheon Nine.T he development began to emerge yesterday when, bizarrely, the barrister for the Crown conceded that the 9 were genuine in their belief that Raytheon were active in supplying the US and Isreali war machines in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon and that sabotaging Raytheon's equipment would disrupt that supply.

What the Crown was then asking the jury to do was convict on the strength of the evidence, whether, at the moment of entering Raytheon, the 9 had smashed computers out of anger and wanton destructiveness. barristers for the 9 petitioned the judge to dismiss the case as this was something the jury could not find, given that the Crown had already conceded that they had gone in there with the intention to sabotage in order to disrupt the supply chain. the Judge evidently xxxxxx

The crown have until tomorrow to decide whether to appeal or not. http://www.raytheon9.org/
send your messages to resistderry@aol.com

02/06/08

St Athan campaign and Raytheon 9

We get a mention here. Opposition and horror at Raytheon grows! We call on politicans from Wales to oppose the privatisation of military training and Keep Raytheon out of Wales!

28/05/08

Raytheon 9 Solidarity

A Show of Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!
Stop the St Athan Military Academy Campaign, supported by Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Cardiff CAAT and other peace groups gathered on 27th May at Transport House, Cardiff .



Raytheon - banned by Liverpool Council, the Norwegian and Belgian government, manufacturer of cluster bombs and lethal weapons are a key part of the new, privatised UK Military Academy being built in Wales.By welcoming Raytheon, our politicians are complicit with war crimes.Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales has defended Raytheon and attacked anti-war campaigners as liars.

for more videos see here

24/05/08

Raytheon out of Wales



Welsh Assembly laying welcome mat for Cluster Munition Bomb ...As it turns out, though, Raytheon’s actual record concerning cluster munitions may prove to be less damning than its critics claim. Raytheon’s spokesman ...

Now then.... there are a few errors in this report so...listen

The intention was to go to Llanwit Major to raise awareness of the opposition to the Privatised Military Academy in face of an ongoing well funded propaganda exercise by MOD/Metrix/John Smith MP and No politicans prepared to speak out.
Campaigners where in different locations in Llanwit Major on that day in extremely bad weather and were faced with intimidation and surveillance from a disproportionate police presence. The campaign against the privatisation of all UK military training to arms dealers has been almost entirely been an e-campaign. There have been sucessful protests at the OU offices in Cardiff, the Senedd and in Cardiff City Centre hampered by the massive police surveillance and control.

The allegation that we haven't responded to contact from the college is NOT true. In fact I wrote and sent booklets and had no reply. I would be very happy to speak/meet them any time so please email no2militaryacademy@inbox.com

The 'ire' of Llanwit Major was from ONE shop owner who has business from MOD and therefore is expressing self interest. War profiteers ire is to be expected.

Facts about Raytheon -
Raytheon is the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world and are directly implicated in war crimes: In 2003, a Raytheon device hit the Shu'ale market in Baghdad in 2003, killing at least 62 civilians. In 2006 a Raytheon device hit Qana in Lebanon in 2006, killing at least 28 civilians, including 16 children. By welcoming Raytheon, our politicians are complicit with war crimes.

Bush to Nasrallah: An Offer Hezbollah cannot refuse? Part III: the ...The People's Voice - Nashville,TN,USA('Birdie' was the nickname for the M-43 Raytheon manufactured cluster bomb which was widely used by Israel against civilians in 1978, 1982, and to a lesser ...
Bush to Nasrallah: An Offer Hezbollah cannot refuse?Atlantic Free Press - Groningen,Netherlands

Raytheon Company produces, according to its own web-site JSOW (Joint Stand Off Weapon), and cluster munitions to these: “JSOW integrates the BLU-97 combined effects bomblets and the BLU-108 sensor fused weapon submunitions for area targets or armoured vehicles”. These are considered as cluster weapons.
The small explosive devices or bomblets are certainly key components in a cluster weapon. These consist of components such as the explosives themselves, the surrounding canister and a detonation mechanism or fuse which make the explosive charge detonate. The canister which contains bomblets is, as a rule, specially designed for this purpose and must therefore be regarded as a key component in a cluster bomb. This also consists of several sub-components. All canisters will have a mechanism or a fuse which makes the canister open and drop the smaller explosive devices. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0623-01.htm

Hundreds and possibly thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed or maimed by outdated, defective U.S. cluster weapons that lack a safety feature other countries have added, according to observers, news reports and officials. Bruce Mueller, a former Army lieutenant colonel who made managed the fuse program for defense contractor Raytheon. Cluster munitions have a high dud factor and are used also for that purpose to lay a minefield as Israel did during the last hours of the brief 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in southern Lebanon. The streets were littered with cluster munitions - this saw some of the most extensive use yet of cluster munitions, mostly by Israel, in highly populated areas. Some dated back to 1976.

Civilian casualties caused by these weapons, both during the war and after, have refocused global attention on the weapons' most frequent users and producers, including in recent or ongoing conflicts in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. Later this month, around 90 countries are expected to sign the Ban on Cluster Munitions Treaty at a conference in Dublin, Ireland. The likely signatories include some of Europe's biggest traditional users and stockpilers of the weapons, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom? - the most frequent user that has entered the process. Read more here

Katie Harrison's very comprehensive daily updates on the proceedings of the Dublin Conference on the WILPF website There is a cluster munition survivor's blog a CMC/ Handicap International 'Ban Bus' blog,

Watch this programme on Cluster bombs (video) http://www.hd.net/drr306.html%20Dan Rather Reports Bombs Left Behind
Long after a cease fire in the Iraeli-Lebanese conflict, thousands of unexploded bombs--cluster munitions--still cover the battlefields and are wounding many unintended victims--civilians.

Raytheon and cluster munitions report on the connections between the banks and the producers from Netwerk Vlaanderen. here

A military academy is NOT the best option for the local economy - privatising military training is a dangerous option - Who are Raytheon and other to be answerable to? Who will monitor what is going on?

And likely to fail as other privatisations have been e.g. railways and COST the British tax payer more.

The union PCS who represent the curerent trainers oppose the plan.
Young people in S Wales are more likely to pressed in to military service to fight for illegal wars.

The whole project is unethical..what happened to a vision for an ethical foreign policy?

The only winners are the arms dealers Raytheon and friends. They profit - We pay!

More info

Raytheon Cluster Bomb Protest ! on Flickr - Photo Sharing! A protestor holds a placard during a Ban Cluster Bombs Protest outside Raytheon in Derry on Wednesday afternoon calling for a ban on the use of Cluster ...
Sign the petition here

Weapons firm’s role in St Athan academy condemned (UK) see here

Cluster Bombs, Landmines, Nuclear Weapons and Depleted Uranium Weapons
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML

The assortment of Raytheon weapons also includes cluster munitions. ......

News

US subverts the cluster bomb ban Boston Globe, US Its efforts in Dublin are really about undermining the treaty itself. US allegations that the cluster ban treaty would undermine NATO are another ......US "bullying" hurts cluster bomb ban work-activists ReutersTime to stand up for what we believe Globe and Mail Campaigners call on US to stop bullying negotiators on cluster ...

21/05/08

Solidarity with the Raytheon 9! Kick Raytheon out of Wales

Lebanon burns - Raytheon earns
Palestine burns -Raytheon earns
Iraq burns - Raytheon earns
Read Mark Steels censored Raytheon Article too
Kick Raytheon out of Wales - Show Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!

5.30 - 6.30, Tuesday 27th May, Transport House (T&G Building), 1 Cathedral Road, Cardiff information here

Called by Stop the St Athan Military Academy Campaign, supported by Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, CAAT and other peace groups. Raytheon 9 website here

Raytheon - banned by Liverpool Council, the Norwegian and Belgian government, manufacturer of cluster bombs and lethal weapons - has been welcomed to Wales by our politicians with barely a murmer of dissent. They are a key part of the new, privatised UK Military Academy being built in Wales.

Let's be clear, Raytheon are directly implicated in war crimes: In 2003, a Raytheon device hit the Shu'ale market in Baghdad in 2003, killing at least 62 civilians. In 2006 a Raytheon device hit Qana in Lebanon in 2006, killing at least 28 civilians, including 16 children.By welcoming Raytheon, our politicians are complicit with war crimes.

Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales has defended Raytheon and attacked anti-war campaigners as liars. Raytheon Nine trial set to start The trial of the “Raytheon Nine” anti-war activists started this week in Belfast, and will last for up to six weeks.The nine anti-war protesters, occupied and shut down the Derry offices of Raytheon, the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world, on Wednesday 9 August 2006 during Israel's war on Lebanon.

The action was part of a wider protest at Raytheon’s complicity in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Rush messages of support to resistderry@aol.comFor background see:Unmasking the System - Exposing Welsh Politicians lies about Raytheon'Who has the power to frame reality-- the power to describe things as they really are, the power to make clear the power relationships in a community, family or country?To unmask the truth of a situation is to expose the fraudulence of the glowing phrases, the lofty claims, and the false promises of oppressive authorities and to make clear the human rights, the community obligations and the just relationships which the reality of the situation requires'
Mark Steel
Mark Steel's censored Raytheon article By Jim Jay(Jim Jay) Can be found here. The Independent decided not to print it -

Raytheon 9 Trial has finally started (Reibiliun) Here is a brief outline of the day: The trial of the Raytheon 9 finally got underway today at Laganside Court in Belfast. The day started well with about 50 people congregating outside the Courthouse. 28 of them carried placards with ...

Raytheon Nine trial set to start Socialistworker.co.uk - The trial of the “Raytheon Nine” anti-war activists is set to start this week in Belfast, and last for up to six weeks. The nine anti-war protesters, ...
Raytheon poisons folk!! Raytheon Class Action Lawsuit
If you are one of the many residents of St. Petersburg, Florida who have been affected by the Raytheon groundwater contamination, then it is vital that you contact Joe Saunders, at Saunders Walker.

17/05/08

Resisting War Crimes Is Not A Crime – Defend the Raytheon 9!

It has been confirmed that the trial of Derry Anti War Coalition (DAWC) activists, the Raytheon 9, will start on Monday May19th, in the Laganside Courts in Belfast. The Raytheon 9 are charged with criminal damage and affray as a result of the non-violent direct action taken by DAWC on 9th August 2006 at the height of the Israeli assault on Lebanon.

There will be a mass protest outside the Court (opposite the Waterfront) from 9.30 to 10.30 on Monday 19th and every Monday morning as long as the trial continues. One of the defendants, journalist and civil rights’ activist Eamonn McCann, told Non Violent News “we can’t ask people to protest on a daily basis, but those who can spare an hour would be very welcome inside the Court to show support. Also, we will be gathering outside the Court every morning at 10.00am and we would be delighted to see anyone who wants to come along for just five minutes, to cheer us on, read a poem, do a piece of street theatre or anything else.”

Meanwhile, support for the Raytheon 9 is flooding in from across Britain and Ireland and as far afield as Australia. The Derry Anti War Coalition, which organised the action that led to the arrest of the nine, has linked up with campaigners in Wales who oppose British government plans to build a massive £14 billion Military Academy.

Davy McAuley, travelled to Cardiff recently to speak on behalf of the DAWC at a protest rally called by the Stop the St Athan's Military Academy Campaign. He says the proposed military academy “looks set to become Britain's 'School of the Americas' - a centre for counterinsurgency training and future imperialist adventures abroad.”

“The creation of a military super-academy at St Athan, between Cardiff and Swansea, was announced as a done deal in January 2007. Despite the fact this represented the biggest PFI in history, involving £14 billion of taxpayers' money, there had been no debate in either Westminster or the Welsh Assembly (Senedd).
“DAWC were invited to speak”, he says, “because the winning bidders for the project were the Metrix consortium. This consortium includes Raytheon and the anti-war people of Wales are as unhappy with their taxes pouring profits into the coffers of arms traders as are the anti-war people of Derry.

“The consortium also includes Qinetiq, the privatised research and development wing of the MoD. Qinetiq was recently the subject of intense criticism by the National Audit Office. Its privatisation was proposed by MoD managers - who then saw their shares rise 10,000% on the day of the sale!
Davey says that, in any case, “people need to imagine think about what else could be done with £14 billion! With hospitals and schools closing throughout Wales and the North of Ireland, with a desperate need to improve social facilities, create sustainable sources of energy etc, such public money could be invested in socially useful projects rather than the preparation for future wars of occupation like Iraq. For more information on Stop the St Athan's Military Academy Campaign, see http://www.cynefinywerin.org.uk/
There will be daily updates on this website during the trial.

Anyone who thinks they can help in any way should email resistderry@aol.com. There is a Raytheon 9 support group in Belfast to organise solidarity during the trial. It will try to provide accommodation for travelling supporters. Contact Gordon on 07742531617. For buses from Dublin, contact Mary on 0872917415 For buses from Derry, contact Davy on 07521527208 or Goretti on 07973528772

Touring bus joins Derry anti-munitions protestDerry Today - Derry,Northern Ireland,UKA touring bus warning people against cluster bombs joined a protest outside Derry-based munitions company, Raytheon, this week. The Cluster Munitions ...See all stories on this topic

Raytheon looking at Derry futureDerry Today - Derry,Northern Ireland,UKThe US-based company has been involved in controversy in the city because it supplies munitions software to countries across the world, although it has ...See all stories on this topic
Raytheon looking at Derry future
Global weapons giant Raytheon has confirmed it is "assessing its workload" at its Derry plant amid speculation that it is planning to axe staff. However a company spokesperson said no decisions have been made to reduce jobs.
One source told the Journal that the company, which operates a software development facility at Springtown, was considering cuts.The source said: "The future of the entire Derry operation is currently being discussed closure."However the company spokesman said yesterday evening: "While we are currently assessing our workload at the NISSC facility, no decisions have been made to reduce staffing levels. Our NISSC employees have exceptional skills and we fully anticipate the need for these skills in the future. Any decisions that are made with regard to staffing levels would, in the first instance, be communicated to our employees."

The US-based company has been involved in controversy in the city because it supplies munitions software to countries across the world, although it has denied that military work is carried out locally. A number of protests have been carried out at the Derry plant, with a protest against cluster bombs held there on Wednesday.The trial of a number of local people in connection with a protest at the company offices is due to begin next week in Belfast.
The full article contains 227 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
Page 1 of 1


GLAD TO SEE THE BACK OF THEM.
Raytheon are manufacturers of weapons of mass destruction which have been used around the world to kill innocent men, women and children. Their claim that the work carried out in Derry is not of a military nature is nonsense. Much of the work in Derry is on internal Raytheon projects that directly support the running of the company. To claim that the Derry operation is not in support of Raytheons main business of arms manufacturing is daft. If I were to assist someone to murder a person by facilitating that murder and providing the means to do it then in a court of law I would be as guilty as they were. Why should the Derry Raytheon plant be any different. If the don't close down then they should be forced out as act act of solidarity with the many people around the world that their weapons are deployed against daily. Oh and what about the very secretive JETS program that is currently running down there at the minute. Are they still claiming that isn't a armaments program.

Rate payer, Derry 16/05/2008 18:03:10
Good Riddance! Let the free market fundamentalists and the Gerry Murrays of this world froth at the mouth, but let this be the beginning of the end of Raytheon globally.Now, let's take the massive state subsidy Raytheon have been getting (out of our taxes) and spend it on some sustainable jobs in Derry. Some co-operative business seed money? a plant for developing computer-based teaching aides for autistic children?a specialist cancer treatment and research centre for the north west of Ireland?

12/05/08

Defend the Raytheon 9!

Resisting War Crimes Is Not A Crime –
The Derry Anti War Coalition is calling on everyone who can to take the morning off work on Monday 19th May and come to the protest outside the Court in Belfast.It has been confirmed that the trial of Derry Anti War Coalition (DAWC) activists, the Raytheon 9, will start on Monday May19th, in the Laganside Courts in Belfast. The Raytheon 9 are charged with criminal damage and affray as a result of the non-violent direct action taken by DAWC on 9th August 2006 at the height of the Israeli assault on Lebanon.There will be a mass protest outside the Court (opposite the Waterfront) from 9.30 to 10.30 on Monday 19th and every Monday morning as long as the trial continues. The DAWC feels we can't ask people to protest on a daily basis, but those who can spare an hour would be very welcome inside the Court to show support. Also, we will be gathering outside the Court every morning at 10.00am and we would be delighted to see anyone who wants to come along for just five minutes, to cheer us on, read a poem, do a piece of street theatre or anything else.

Meanwhile, support for the Raytheon 9 is flooding in from across Britain and Ireland and as far afield as Australia, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. The DAWC pamphlet on the Raytheon 9 has been translated into Spanish, which explains the sudden influx of solidarity from Latin AmericaSolidarity actions have taken place or are planned almost everywhere there is a Raytheon plant, but especially in the US.

At the end of April, Raytheon Systems Ltd, (RSL) Glenrothes (Scotland was targeted by activists in solidarity with the Raytheon 9. The Scottish Raytheon plant was blockaded from 6.30 am till 2.45pm when activists, including one who uses a wheelchair, chained themselves to the front gate. One of the Scottish anti-war activists, retired schoolteacher Irene Willis, 63 stated, "The actions of Raytheon Systems Ltd actions should be fully investigated. International Law holds a corporation liable when it knowingly supplies weapons that are used to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Raytheon in Glenrothes manufacture the GPS-aided navigation system and control systems for the Paveway guided "bunker busting" bombs produced in the US and sold to Israel who used them in their war on Lebanon July/Aug 2006. Like people in Derry, we feel we have to oppose their presence here."There will be daily updates on the website during the trial www.raytheon9.org

Anyone who thinks they can help in any way should email resistderry@aol.com. There is a Raytheon 9 support group in Belfast to organise solidarity during the trial. It will try to provide accommodation for travelling supporters. Contact Gordon on 07742531617. For buses from Dublin, contact the IAWM via Sara on 0872886646. For buses from Derry, contact Davy on 07521527208 or Goretti on 07973528772

01/04/08

Raytheon & US Military-Industrial Complex takeover St Athan

Global Gridlock: How the US Military-Industrial Complex Seeks to ...By admin Some of the names of the military contractors involved in this project include Boeing; Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard; IBM; Lockheed Martin; Microsoft; Raytheon; and Sun Microsystems (Weiner, 2004). As part of this complete coverage ...TruthNews.us - http://www.truthnews.us/

12/01/08

New Trial Date for Raytheon 9

New Trail Date For Raytheon 9
By Reibiliun(Reibiliun)
The Raytheon 9 have been given another date for their trial to start. This time it's April 7th. For those not living in Derry, it has been hard to find out what is happening in relation to the trial of the Raytheon 9. ...
Reibiliun - http://reibiliun.blogspot.com/

The trial process is dragging on in a way that is very unfair to the defendants, their families, and the Derry Anti War Coalition (DAWC). The Nine are charged with affray and criminal damage and, if found guilty, could face long prison sentences.

In Derry over the New Year, I learnt that the lack of information is due to a gagging order that has been imposed by the Judge, Corinna Philpot, and enthusiastically obeyed by the media.

Wed January 7th will see the latest episode in this long-running saga. It seems that delays to the trial happening are caused by the State’s determination to shift the trial away from Derry and to keep the issues at stake hidden from the public.

Read the full story at:raytheon9

Related Link: http://www.swp.ie/news/latest/raytheon-9-trial-derailed....html

07/01/08

PM Brown 'response' to cluster bombs

The Prime Minister's Office has 'responded' to the petition asking the Prime Minister to "Ban the use and manufacture of Clusterbombs. This is incomprehensible meaningless jargon not a proper response to a very serious matter. UK at the forefront of States dealing with the problems caused by cluster munitions not to eliminate their use or condemn those countries who use them nor to shun companies connected to their manufacture or use in any way such as RAYTHEON who the government keep awarding contracts to..like the training academy at St Athan - Raytheon 100,000 cluster bombs dropped on Lebanon?
See Raytheon cluster bomb demonstration in Derry photos.

Government's response

The Government recognises that certain cluster munitions can cause unacceptable harm to civilians. That is exactly why the UK has consistently been at the forefront of States urging all key users and producers of cluster munitions to address the problems caused by such munitions. The Government led the way internationally by taking two types of cluster munitions out of service. And now, the Government is working also for an international ban on the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of those cluster munitions which cause unacceptable harm to civilians - our aim is to a achieve a new legally binding instrument.

The Government also takes very seriously its responsibility for taking action against other instruments that cause unaccpetable civilian deaths. So, as small arms kill every 90 seconds, Britain is calling for a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty and is willing to extend its export laws to control extra-territorial brokering and trafficking of small arms, and potentially other weapons

view it here: http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page14156.asp

Petition information - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Clusterbombs/

19/11/07

Raytheon 9 trial Nov 19th

Trial of the Raytheon 9 is due to start in Derry today (nov 19th.) The 9 face charges arsising out of the disabling of Raytheon computers in Derry, Ireland, during the Israeli military bombing of Lebanon in 2006. Raytheon equipment was used extensively in the bombing of Lebanon.

Raytheon, the world's third largest arms corporation, was introduced to Derry as part of the "peace process". Go figure! Please check the following website for background on the nonviolent disarmament action and updates on the trial.
http://www.raytheon9.org/home.html

Last Saturday night (Nov 17th.) Gary Donnelly, one of the Raytheon 9 was attacked by police in Derry breaking his arm. See link below.... http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85112

28/10/07

Support Derry Anti War Protesters (The Raytheon 9)






Support Derry Anti War Protesters (The Raytheon 9)

Show Support and sign their petition - at least they fight back hard in Derry - show them the Welsh can do it to!

Nine activists who took part in an occupation of the American arms corporation Raytheon's offices in Derry have been charged with aggravated burglary and unlawful assembly. The bail terms imposed on them effectively remove their right to take part in political activity.

Raytheon is the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world. It manufactured the 100 GBU-28 bunker buster bombs urgently flown by the United States to Israel at the height of the destruction of Lebanon by the Israel Defence Force. Among the many services Raytheon has performed for Israel is supplying electronic equipment for the apartheid wall being built on Palestinian land. The National Lawyers Guild of the US has accused Raytheon of being 'implicated in the commission of war crime'.


Latest ....

On the September 14th court appearance of the Raytheon 9, the trial date was finally been set for 12th November 2007. However, it is generally thought that this date will not see the actual start of the trial. This is because the prosecution have asked for the trial to be moved out of Derry. It wants the judge to rule that a fair trial would not be possible in Derry because i) there have been protestors outside the court every time they appeared and ii) the local press has reported about the protest action. DAWC lawyers argued that i) we are part of a far broader movement and therefore there will be protests anywhere they appear and ii) our action has also been reported in the regional press. The judge heard arguments from both sides and reserved judgement. There are also likely to be further court cases about Raytheon’s refusal to provide the documents requested by the defence team as part of the ‘discovery’ process.

The charges of criminal damage to the building to the amount of £22,000 and to Raytheon computer equipment and office furniture (no amount stated) have been restored, as expected, and it was confirmed that no more than nine of the protesters are being charged.