Two months ago Bertie Ahern (Irish Taoiseach/pm)offered the use of Irish airports to the U.S. for any action they choose to take following 9/11. This offer is an illegal one because despite the fact that in Ireland we do not have an explicit constitutional right to neutrality (as many people believe), any decision concerning a foreign war must be presented to the Dail (parliament)for a vote. This did not happen.
The majority of people in Ireland believe that we are a constitutionally neutral country. Public opinion is largely opposed to this country having any involvement in a foreign war.
Before September we had an agreement that U.S. military planes carrying troops could land here but not if they carried weaponry or surveillance equipment. (Basically planes carrying troops on leave from European bases.) Most people were unaware of this.
The day before this offer was formally made a large military transport craft landed at Shannon. This was widely reported on by national media.
Since then the only other U.S. landing that has been widely reported on was the 'emergency' landing of Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transporter, on Sunday 28 October. Because of this many people have assumed that the airport is not really being used by the U.S.
But the facts are otherwise. Almost every night since the airport was offered to the U.S., their military planes have being landing in Shannon. With the bulk of the attack aircraft already deployed, what is passing through Shannon at the moment is mostly troop carriers and logistic aircraft.
The reason that the U.S. are using Shannon (east Clare)is because it has the longest non military runway in Europe, over two miles long. The U.S. say if they carry out refeulling in the U.K. the planes must carry 5000 extra gallons of fuel, which means they must carry less soldiers or weaponry.
Local politicians have stated that the U.S. is not using the airport, apart from the emergency landing of 28 October. But we know they are.
Shannon airport closes for commercial flights at 11.30pm.
Despite this every night there are large aircraft landing between 11.30pm and 2am. (full report below.)
Following reports that local people are being 'discouraged' from being in public areas around the airport at night by increased security and Special Branch officers, local indymedia reporters and anti-war activists have gone to the airport at night to observe and record what is happening.
We have also obtained a document leaked from the Department
of Foreign Affairs containing a list of military aircraft using Shannon in September and October. (follows below)
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Report 1: DFA report.
Report 2: This is the report from one activist who has spent many nights watching the airport.
Report 3: Technical Specification Sheet.
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AIRPORT LANDINGS: BACKGROUND
Oct. 26, 2001: Letter to you from Brian Cowen, arising from PQ No. 148 ofOctober 16th.
September October
Overflights 169 (86 US) 141(69 US)
Landings 32 (AUG) 42 (30 US) 22 (21 US)

type of aircraft that had landed during September and October included the following:
C-130, C21, C20, C9, DC9, P-3, C20G,C38,CB9, C9B, B757, VP3A, C37A, C22, H461, C12, C137, A-10, UH 60, CH47, F16,C141,C40, C5A.

1) 5 C-130;
2) 4 C-141;
3) 6 C-9;
4) 3 C-38;
5) 4 VP3A;
6) 1 C-21;
7) 1 C-12;
8) 1 C-40;
9) 1C-37;
10) 2 C-32;
11) 10 C-20.

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This is the report from one activist who has spent many nights watching the airport.

It seems that rather than simply moving the aircraft at 4-6 in the morning they are also running them directly after the last scheduled passenger flights out of SNN. Observed a/c overhead between 4-6 am.
I have about 40 minutes of video footage of aircraft arriving into Shannon at odd hours in the past two weeks. The latest stuff concerns the recent appearance of DC 10-30s into Shannon under the banner of World Airways.
The info is quickly verified by the tape and also by
checking the website of the airline. www.worldair.com
World Airways does not run regular scheduled services to Shannon.
They ceased regular scheduled runs in 1986 and have been using their fleet for charters and wet-leases.
The airline has had operating losses for the past few years and was recently delisted from the NASDAQ but its financial future took a turn for the better on Sept 20th when it was awarded US$175 million contract to supply charter services to USAF's Air Mobility Command. USAF provides about half of the revenue for the company.
On Sunday Nov 4th at 12:46 AM a World Airways DC 10-30 touched down at Shannon Airport (well after normal services cease) There was a visible security presence at the airport when it touched down, and a series of civilian cars and unmarked white Ford Transits went to the terminal to collect the 'tourists' who had chartered this late flight to Shannon. A Conways van also came out, but this is not unusual as conways usually collect flight crews from Shannon.
And if anyone has been out there since Sunday they will have noticed the huge Galaxy Transport carrier. Reg AFRC serial no. 00448 Attached to the 'PATRIOT WING' Officially this aircraft made an emergency landing at SNN while en
route from an air force base in Germany to Massachusetts. The pilot apparently reported fumes in the cabin. The aircraft was still parked off ramp, facing away from the terminal with no obvious maintenance or inspection crew investigating it .
It's huge, grey and has UNITED STATES AIR FORCE painted in 15 ft high letters.
Less obvious is the appearance of a United States Navy C-20G jet
parked over at the Westair corporate jet hangar. It's not a combat jet, [looks like a small lear jet] it's more for transporting admirals around the place. Doesn't have a tail hook or anything for carrier based ops (not that it would even be suitable) It is clearly labelled as UNITED STATES NAVY and has the naval stars on the engine panels. Registration: JR 5093 Serial no: 165093 attached to
(48th Fleet Logistics Squadron based in Washington D.C.) and designated City of Annapolis" Also photographed was a man in US military uniform walking through the departure lounge (past the security checkpoint) There were two aircraft in front of him, a DC-10 belonging to Royal Jordanian Airlines and a Lockheed Tristar labelled as a Hawaiian Holiday aircraft (reg N192AT). Strikingly odd to suggest that there is a regular service between Shannon and Honolulu.

(note abbreviations a/c for aircraft t/o =take-off AFB= Air Force Base SNN = Shannon Airport code)
LATEST OBS RPT. 31/10/2001 Commenced obs at approx 11:45 Ended obs at approx 01:30 Footage : Approx 5 minutes of 3 a/c in nightshot. Comments: Light winds from west. Almost no cloud cover. Dry night. Some mist developing. Full moon made approach more difficult. Position precluded direct line of sight to runway. Line of sight established to control tower and top section of Aerospace Hangar. Approach and terrain precluded carrying all equipment. N/scope, tripod, bnocs, stashed. [ negative effect on intel quality.] Road traffic heavy at midnight and also again at 1:30 - 2am..
OBS:- 1. Approx 11:45 - multi-engine turbo-prop lands at SNN with running lights off. Approaching from east (landing into the wind.)
2. Approx 12:10 -multi engine turbo prop takes off from SNN
heading west into the wind. Running lights were on. take Didn't get good look at take -off due to position but a/c turned eastwards after take off. Appeared to me to be C-130 or variant of Hercules aircraft. consistent with sound, and overall shape and size, as well as lighting configuration) Possibly a troop carrier [C-130] or a refuelling a/c [KC-130] or a gun ship [AC-130] (these are normally based in Eglin AFB, Florida so SNN would be a logical stopover.) (See End for spec summary on AC-130H/U)
3. About 10-15 minutes later there was another aircraft take off. Didn't get good image of the a/c but it seemed to be a wide bodied jet. B767 size or larger. (Accoustics suggest 3-4 engine a/c)
4. Approx 13:10 observed a third a/c take off. Again into the wind for westward take off. Fairly steep take off, with wing tip lights on. Again a/c was widebody B767 or larger.
All 3 a/c made steep take off and right turn to head eastwards. Unable to maintain contact or obtain a/c id.
============================================================AC-130H/U Spec sheet.
The AC-130U and AC-130H evolved from a C-130A with the addition of four 7.62mm General Electric XMU-470 Miniguns, four 20mm General Electric M61 Vulcan cannons, an analog fire control computer, a Night Observation Device
(NOD) or Starlite Scope, a "bread board" computer, and a 20kW searchlight. Fire Control System Today's AC-130U Gunship is more lethal than its predecessors due to the addition of a GAU-12, 25 mm Gatling gun (similar to those on AV-8 Harrier aircraft). Firing at 1,800 shots per minute and mounted on a fully trainable gun mount, the GAU-12 provides twice the lethality of its former 20 mm cannons, a longer stand-off range and greater accuracy. The operator can select from a series of burst lengths to tailor effectiveness of the GAU-12 for each target due to a fully
automated ammunition handling system, capable of carrying 3,000 rounds. The gunship also carries both a 40 mm Bofors cannon, capable of up to 100 shots per minute, and a 105 mm howitzer that can be fired six times a minute. To maximize accuracy, both large guns also are installed on trainable gun mounts. The AC-130U has a dual-target attack capability that allows it to simultaneously attack two targets located up to a kilometer apart. Its fire control system enables the AC-130U to destroy targets more quickly, expediting air-to-ground mission objectives while decreasing threat exposure time, which enhances aircraft survivability.