Ploughshares Women Activists Need Support

In the early hours of Monday 29 January 1996, Andrea Needham, Joanne Wilson and Lotta Kronlid of the Seeds of Hope East Timor Plough-shares, having decided that they had used every avenue of protest, snipped their way through the fence of the British Aerospace factory test site in Wharton, Lancashire. When they found Hawk jet number ZH 955, destined for Indonesia (and use in East Timor) they took out hammers and, blow by blow, disabled all component connected to the weaponry - the nose cone, radar, bomb attach-ment under the wings and control devices in the cockpit. Undetected for nearly two hours, they punctured the fuselage and smashed radar equip-ment and missile guidance systems. They hung banners on the aircraft, poured seeds and ashes over the plane and planted photos of children, of the victims of the Santa Cruz massacre, and left "Seeds of Hope" video and report containing their statement of intent.

They notified the Press Association who made inquiries which brought the security guards who arrested them. They were charged with criminal damage of more than 2 million pounds!

On 30 January 1996, Angie Zelter and 51 coinformants, "laid information" before Norwich magistrates Court. Angie attempted to present a summons for the arrest of Ian Lang MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for conspiring to Aid and abet acts of Genocide as defined in the Genocide Act of 1969. After a 2 hour hearing the magistrate rejected their application. Angie whose statement of intent was shown on the video left with the aircraft, was later arrested as she was going to a meeting in Preston to speak about the action, and with a hammer in her bag.

All four women have been charged with conspiracy. They expect to go on trial in June. The women have been refuse bail and are on remand please write to:

Lotta Kronlid VD0087; Andrea Needham VD0088; Joanna Wilson VD0089; Angie Zelter VD0184.
HMP Remand Centre, Risley,
617 Warrington Road,
Risley, Cheshire, WA 6BP

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