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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Protesters occupy Menwith Hill US NSA Base in United Kingdom |
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by eyes
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03 Jul 2001
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More than 100 demonstrators have broken into a major British defence site in North Yorkshire. Greenpeace activists entered the Menwith Hill base, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, at 0500BST in protest against American plans to use it as part of the so-called "Son of Star Wars" national missile defence programme. |
Some have chained themselves to buildings or hidden around the site, while others are demonstrating by the main gate as workers arrive at the radar early warning complex.
North Yorkshire Police say they are at the incident, and a Ministry of Defence spokesman has confirmed that some arrests have been made.
Read more at the address below... |
See also:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1419000/1419762.stm
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Additional Reporting |
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Current rating: 0
03 Jul 2001
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Published on Tuesday, July 3, 2001 by Reuters
Greenpeace Activists Invade British 'Star Wars' Base
LONDON - A group of 100 protesters on Tuesday invaded a British defense site which could play a key role in the United States ``Son of Star Wars'' missile defense system.
British, Danish and American protesters were among a group of activists occupying three areas in the Menwith Hill base in northern England, campaign group Greenpeace said.
President Bush's proposed shield system is intended to protect the United States and its allies from long range missile attack.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he has taken no decision on whether to back the project but his spokesman has signaled broad support.
Many Europeans are skeptical about the proposed missile shield's capability after some test failures. They are also concerned that the United States should not tear up key arms control treaties with Russia that limit such defenses.
Greenpeace said 50 activists, some carrying flags with the message ``Star Wars Starts Wars'' and others dressed as missiles, had gone in through the base's front gate. Others had scaled the razor wire perimeter fence.
Greenpeace member Helen Wallace said: ``I am chained to a water tower inside the site.
``A number of people have been arrested. We are going to stay here to make our point that Menwith Hill is part of Bush's dangerous Star Wars plan and we want Tony Blair to stop that,'' she told BBC radio.
A Ministry of Defense spokeswoman said protesters were on a water tower and on the roof of the control room after a group of 100 had rushed the main gate and scaled the fence.
``There have been a number of arrests,'' she added.
Greenpeace said that if Britain gives the go-ahead, Menwith Hill will be used as a ground relay station to transmit information on missile location and trajectory back to the U.S. to help with targeting for interceptor missiles.
Copyright © 2001 Reuters Limited |
See also:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/0703-01.htm
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Greenpeace Press Release |
by Greenpeace
(No verified email address) |
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03 Jul 2001
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100 Greenpeace Activists Invade US Spy Base
MENWITH HILLS, UK - July 3 - In the early hours of this morning over one hundred Greenpeace activists from the UK, Denmark and the USA invaded the American Menwith Hill Spy base, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire to expose the base's proposed role in President George W Bush's 'Star Wars' (National Missile Defense) system. They are currently occupying three areas within the high security site.
The Menwith Hill base is rented from the British government by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and is home to over 1,000 American NSA personnel. It is primarily a listening base, which intercepts international phone , fax and email communications. However it also houses two 'golf ball' radomes that would become the "eyes and ears" the planned Star Wars system (1).
Fifty Greenpeace Activists, many carrying flags with the message "Star Wars Starts Wars" and others dressed as missiles to symbolize the new arms race that Star Wars will create, breached security and went through the front gate accompanied by the theme tune from Mission Impossible. They are currently occupying a water tower just inside the entrance.
The other two teams of activists also evaded the UK military police that guard the site and scaled a series of three meter razor-wire fences to enter the heart of the base. One team is occupying the area surrounding the radomes that Bush proposes to use as part of Star Wars. The other is occupying the roof of one of the facility's buildings.
The other UK base that has been identified as having a role in Bush's Star Wars plan is Fylingdales (also in Yorkshire) which contains a powerful 40 meter high 'X Band' radar. The US Government also needs permission from the Danish Government to use a similar radar base in Thule, Greenland.
"Danish activists are here today because we share a common concern with the UK. Both our countries have the power to stop George Bush's Star Wars program because it requires the use of the facilities here at Menwith Hill and at Fylingdales as well as in Thule in Greenland. Both our governments should say no to Star Wars by refusing the use of these facilities", said Dan Hindsgaul of Greenpeace Nordic from inside the Menwith Hill base.
"Britain and Denmark should unite as partners in disarmament to stop the Star Wars program before it ignites a new nuclear arms race and destroys the international arms control and disarmament process." Hindsgaul added.
For a background briefing on Greenpeace's international campaign to Stop Star Wars visit www.stopstarwars.org.
(1) Two SBIRS (Space Based Infrared System) Radomes have been constructed in the Menwith Hill complex. If the UK government give the go ahead they will be used as a ground relay station to transmit information on missile location and trajectory back to the US to assist with targetting for ground, sea, air and space based interceptors. |
See also:
http://www.greenpeace.org
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