World Smash EDO Newswire Archive

The jury went out in the EDO decommissioners trial this morrning.

Support is needed for the decommissioners during next week as the trial finally kicks off. Come along if you can.

Support the decommissioners!

www.smashedo.org.uk

General enquiries: 07538093930  smashedo@riseup.net
Press: 07526557436  smashedopress@riseup.net

A flotilla carrying aid and international activists to Gaza was attacked in international waters on Monday and up to twenty people were killed. The ship was intercepted illegally and taken to Ashdod where its crew are being detained. Another ship, the Rachel Corrie, is still en route towards Gaza

Public Meeting

Saturday 5th June

5.30-8pm, Community Base, Queen's Road, Brighton

Support the Decommissioners Public Meeting

On 17th January 2009, as Israeli bombs rained down on Gaza, six people
broke into the EDO factory in Brighton and decommissioned the
production line damaging their capability to make weapons to be used
against Gazan civilians.

At this public meeting, just two days before the start of the
decommissioners trial, where they will argue that their actions were
justified, we will discuss EDO's complicity in war crimes worldwide.

plus upcoming Smashing events...

see www.smashedo.org.uk/target-barclays.html

see www.smashedo.org.uk

an account of the days events

see www.smashedo.org.uk

The prosecution led the days argument they claimed by causing over a quarter of a million pounds worth of damage to EDO/ITT we in no way could have saved lives in the occupied territories. This therefore meant we had no right to a jury trial. The judge then asked the prosecution to provide evidence to substantiate such a claim, the prosecution had nothing to show.

The defence then came back to say there were two linked issues that required consideration.
i) The circumstances in which a judge may withdraw a defendant’s defence;
ii) Whether the facts relied on by the defendants’ amounts to a defence in law.

The points of law up for scrutiny were from the:

Criminal Damage Act 1971,
Criminal Law Act 1967,
The Common Law Defence of Necessity.

EDO Decommissioner Elijah Smith has recently been moved from HMP Lewes to HMP Sheppey Cluster (Elmley). He has now spent over one year on remand. Please take a moment to write to him.

The following article and image has been nicked from Bristol ABC and includes a call for more/better defendant & prisoner support. Full article with links is here  http://bristolabc.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/bristol-edo-decommissioner-elijah-smith-a-prisoner-of-war-for-one-year/

Elijah (James) Smith has now been locked up on remand for one year, ever since his arrest last 18 January 2009 after the EDO/MBM ITT factory in Brighton was trashed by 6 campaigners from Bristol.

On the first anniversary of the end of the Israeli war against Gaza, Smash EDO activists in Brighton organised a demonstration against arms manufacturer EDO MBM/ITT who made some of the weapons that killed 1417 Palestinians, mainly the elderly, women and children, during the three-week assault. Pictures Copyright (C) Peter Marshall, 2010, all rights reserved

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For info call 07754135290 or email  smashedopress@riseup.net,

Saturday 16 January 2010: First anniversary commemoration of the 1417 victims of the 2009 Israeli military incursion into Gaza, held in London's Trafalgar Square.

Our comrades at SMASH EDO have announced the location of their Remember Gaza demo... plus, Gaza convoy finally allowed in after being held at port and attacked by Egyptian police, legal observer arrested at Smash EDO Carnival Against the Arms Trade finally overturns charges, European Court rules Section 44 stop 'n search illegal, the Christmas period has seen no let up for migrants in the squats and camps of Calais, and more...

For three weeks in January 2009, the bombs rained down on Gaza. At the end of Israel's brutal bombing campaign and ground offensive over 1400 Palestinians had been murdered, including 314 children.

Here in Brighton EDO MBM/ITT manufacture some of the weapons components that devastated so many lives. All over the world thousands of people watched appalled at the carnage on the streets of Gaza. Thousands marched and raged at the destruction of peoples' homes and lives. On January 18th 2010, the anniversary of the final day of Operation Cast Lead, we will come together to remember the people of Gaza.

We will not allow those who supported their pain and profited from their suffering to go unchallenged. We will not let this genocide be forgotten. On the first anniversary after their deaths, we will rise up. We will take to the streets. We will remember...

www.smashedo.org.uk/remember-gaza.htm

Smash EDO Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 14th January 2010

Contact Chloe Marsh or Andrew Beckett on 07754135290 or email
 smashedopress@riseup.net

With just under two weeks to go to Smash EDO's Remember Gaza mass event this is a short message to keep you all in the loop.