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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] Weapons inspectors in court, following unusual arrest Three weapons inspectors Per Herngren (Sweden), Susan Van De Hijden (Netherlands) and Les Gibbons (UK), were arrested at Marchwood Military Port on Sunday 20th October during a spot inspection. Following a mandate from 25 concerned US peace activists, a group of Citizen European Weapons Inspectors were commissioned to enter a military facility for inspections which was aimed to assess the risk of any deployment of goods to the Middle East / Gulf which might be later used for a war on Iraq. Though denied entrance, they were invited, following intense and valued dialogue, to return two days later by the 'officer in charge' for a select tour. However, the three inspectors were not prepared to 'negotiate the chosen day of inspection' and were determined to 'inspect anyway'. In doing so they found themselves arrested, as they made a necessary entry into the base cutting through the fence so as to cause minimal damage. The inspectors were however able to ascertain that in the run up to any war on Iraq, Marchwood Military Port would be a key UK port in any war effort therefore, it may be deemed necessary for those seriously committed to civil disobedience [1] to continue to monitor the risk from shipments deployed from there and so be in a state of heightened readiness to act proactively to disrupt war plans using civil disobedience /non violent direct action. Prior to entering to carry out the inspection. Les Gibbons (44) and Lizzie Jones (29), part of the ‘citizen weapons inspections team', delivered a written mandate to the base on Sunday 20th October outlining their intentions. They acted alongside fellow Welsh, Swedish, and Dutch and inspectors. “Reports in the media about logistics regiments stockpiling machinery and supplies in readiness for war made this inspection essential. Iraq is a country already experiencing 12 years of economic sanctions and a devastated infrastructure, further war would cause untold suffering”, explained Gibbons, today. Those arrested for alledged criminal damage were Per Herngren (Sweden), Susan van der Hijden (The Netherlands) and Les Gibbons (UK). They were all released by 2.00am on Monday morning. Charges were brought, eventually only against Van De Hijden after interrogation who will appear in Lyndhurst, Hampshire on Thursday 24th October for charges of criminal damage. Press release Les: 01329 312552 _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk