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BALTIMORE
- February 7 -
WHO:
On Sun., Dec. 19, Philip Berrigan and Susan Crane of Baltimore's
Jonah House, the Rev. Stephen Kelly, SJ, and Elizabeth Walz, a Catholic
Worker from Philadelphia, calling themselves the Plowshares Vs. Depleted
Uranium, disarmed two A-10 Warthog [Fairchild Thunderbolt II] aircraft.
Following Isaiah's vision of a disarmed world, the activists hammered and
poured blood on A-10s, because the Warthog, used against Iraq and
Yugoslavia, has a Gatling gun which fires depleted uranium ammunition. The
four religious activists, for reasons of conscience, refused to post bail
and remain in custody since their arrest.
WHAT:
A trial date has yet to be scheduled. However, a Maryland grand jury
handed down an indictment on Jan. 18. The Plowshares activists are now
facing the following charges:
1] sabotage-–a maximum 10 years;
2]
conspiracy to commit sabotage—a maximum 10 years;
3] malicious destruction
of property with a property damage of more than $300--three years and/or
$2,500 fine;
4] conspiracy to maliciously destroy property--maximum three
years); and
5] trespass--a maximum 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
The grand jury met in secret, and the defendants, who were not there, were
unable to present evidence refuting the charges. In fact, the activists
were not informed until two weeks later of the new charges, carrying a
maximum sentence of more than 26 years.
WHEN:
February 1, 2000
WHERE:
They were informed, while incarcerated:
Philip Berrigan #995-923, BCDC, 404 Kenilworth Ave, Towson MD 21204
Susan Crane #995-375, 200 Court House Court, Towson MD 21204
Steve Kelly SJ #995-924, BCDC, 404 Kenilworth Ave, Towson MD 21204
Elizabeth Walz #995-376, 200 Court House Court, Towson MD 21204
WHY:
It is assumed that Maryland prosecutors have been in contact with
federal agencies, and an agreement was reached to press ahead with
extremely severe charges. Initial charges of burglary were replaced in the
indictment by sabotage and conspiracy to commit sabotage, as well as
conspiracy to maliciously destroy property. The indictment defines
sabotage as follows: to hinder, delay, or interfere with the preparation
of the United States for defense or for war, or with the prosecution of
war by the United States.
The Plowshares now struggle to prepare to stand trial against these
charges. They are aided in their defense by Ramsey Clark, former U.S.
Attorney General, and local attorney Jon Katz. In court, the defendants
will try to argue that the A10s, using depleted uranium ammunition, are
offensive to humanity, decency, and any definition of responsible conduct;
and they are a violation of the laws of war, international law, and the
natural law. They will argue moral law and the laws of God indict the
weapons not the people who resist them.
The religious activists were moved to resistance because of the
environmental damage caused by the use of depleted uranium in Iraq and
Yugoslavia and the fact the Pentagon sold DU ammunition to a host of other
countries, including Israel and Turkey. In the Plowshares Vs. Depleted
Uranium's statement, they explained: "The A-10 is an aircraft built around
a gun -- a 30 mm 7 barrel Gatling that can spew 3,900 rounds per minute.
This criminal plane fired 95% of the depleted uranium deployed by the U.S.
during the Gulf War, leaving behind 300-800 tons [Dutch Laka Foundation]
poisoning humans and the elements in Kuwait and Iraq." The statement
continued, "The U.S. has made another fatal mistake with depleted uranium
-- it has given it away to a score of other countries, openly inviting
them to make their own weapons, fight their own nuclear wars and infest the
planet with more radiation."
The land and people of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bosnia have been
contaminated by the use of depleted uranium; and also afflicted are the
civilians who live adjacent to US military bases in Vieques, Puerto Rico
and Okinawa, Japan, as well as neighborhoods near the manufacturers of
this toxic weapon. It has even been injurious to the health of U.S. and
allied military personnel who made contact with the ammunition.
There have been more than 70 Plowshares actions. The first took place on
Sept. 9, 1980, when Philip and Daniel Berrigan and six others hammered on
nuclear nose cones at a General Electric plant in King of Prussia, Penn.
Philip Berrigan, Crane and Kelly were members of the Prince of Peace
Plowshares, which disarmed an Aegis destroyer at the Bath [Maine] Iron
Works on Feb. 12, 1997. After Rev. Kelly served his sentence for the Maine
action and refused to cooperate with federal probation, he was being
pursued by federal marshals.
Journalists are urged and welcome to visit the four imprisoned
peacemakers. They are available for interviews.
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