Five Shannon activists to stay in prison

The five anti-war activists charged with the criminal damage of a US navy aircraft in Shannon last Monday are to remain in custody ahead of their trial, it emerged yesterday.

On Friday, at Ennis District Court, three of the five were remanded in custody with consent to bail provided they did not go within one-mile of the US embassy at Ballsbridge in Dublin.

As part of their bail conditions, the three were also banned from Co Clare, required to sign on at designated Garda stations twice a day and not confer with each other before their case was heard.

The three, seminarian Mr Damien Moran (22), freelance editor Ms Deirdre Clancy (32) and US citizen Ms Nuin Dunlop (31), were also required to provide a personal surety of €3,000 each.

However, all three have rejected the bail terms and are to remain in custody at Limerick prison "indefinitely" ahead of their trial, along with the two others charged with the same offence, Mr Ciaran O'Reilly (42) and Ms Karen Fallon.

Both Mr O'Reilly and Ms Fallon failed to secure bail at Friday's court sitting after Insp Tom Kennedy expressed concern that they would carry out similar acts of criminal damage.

All are members of the Catholic Worker movement and a spokesperson for the five said yesterday: "The bail terms were seen as too prohibitive by the three. One is a US citizen, yet she was banned from going near her own embassy." The three "would be remaining in prison indefinitely in an act of solidarity with the others and it also forms part of the act of witness".

A member of Refuelling Peace, Mr Tim Hourigan, visited the five in Limerick prison over the weekend and yesterday described their morale "as very high".

The five ended their five-day fast, where they took only liquids, with a meal at Ennis Garda station on Friday.

The court was told by Mr Moran that after carrying out what he called their act of disarmament, the five sat down in the aircraft hangar in Shannon and said the rosary and sang songs of love and peace.

"We were no threat to the Garda officer. We have been subject to vicious allegations from Government Ministers that we attacked the garda. That is completely untrue."

Mr Moran said that what he is charged with "is an act of prophetic witness and I have made a contribution to ending this war".

Asked in court was he the leader of the group, Mr O'Reilly responded: "The Holy Spirit led our group and we will be acquitted in court because we did nothing wrong.

"I don't see myself as Luke Skywalker taking on the empire; I am hoping that others will carry out non-violent actions."

In her application to secure bail, Ms Clancy, of the Spinnaker Apartments, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin, said: "The act of disarmament was a very serious act and a lot of prayer, a lot of resources and a lot of anxiety surrounded it. We didn't do it lightly.

"We intend to be held accountable and take responsibility for our act."

Ms Fallon told the court that she would not reoffend if granted bail. "I give my word that I will not. I will not put myself at risk with the army in Shannon now. I could get shot and killed."

Insp Tom Kennedy told the court: "On the basis of the information given to the court, these people see it as their right and duty to interfere with aircraft landing at Shannon." He said that if they were released on bail, the safety of aircraft at Shannon would be endangered, the safety of people would be endangered, and the lives of the defendants themselves would be endangered. All five are due to reappear before the court on February 21st.

Anne Lucey adds: The three Fianna Fáil elected representatives on Killarney Town Council did not take part in a peace walk organised by the council at the weekend.

Approximately 60 people, including American visitors, took part in the walk on Saturday evening, which was led by Mayor of Killarney Cllr Sheila Casey (FG). Five of the nine town councillors took part.

Mayor Casey stressed that the walk was anti-war, not anti-American. Americans, she said were very valued in Killarney.