Environmental attorney Mr Robert F Kennedy Jr wasconvicted yesterday of trespassing on US Navy land during April protests against war games on the disputed Puerto Rican island of Vieques.
MrKennedy and New York labor leader Mr Dennis Rivera were sentenced to 30 days in jail and were to begin serving their terms immediately. Six others received sentences ranging from probation to 60 days.
Their protest was aimed at ending the US Navy's six-decade use of Vieques, a 33,000-acre island off Puerto Rico's east coast, as a bombing range.
The eight were among 180 people arrested for trespassing during Navy exercises at the end of April and the beginning of May. Another 65 people were arrested during war games in June.
US military officials say Vieques is critical to America's battle readiness, but Puerto Rican authorities argue that 60 years of bombing have damaged the island's water and air quality and harmed the health of its 9,300 residents.
President George W Bush announced on June 14th that the Navy would end its training on Vieques by May 2003. But many Puerto Rican activists have said that deadline is not soon enough and called for the Navy to leave immediately.