"The Government takes a hatchet to the Irish Constitution. The peace camp takes a hatchet to a US warplane. Congrats."
-- Comment left on www.indymedia.ie below story of Wednesday's wonderful news from Shannon.

Mary Kelly, the peace activist who last year risked her life to bring medical care to Palestinians trapped and under siege in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and whom you may know from the Atlantis Community, was arrested early this morning at Shannon Airport for causing extensive damage to a US military plane with a hatchet-type hammer.

Gardai (police) are investigating damage to the US Navy C 40 Boing 737 aircraft from the 59th Fleet Logistics Squadron. They said up to 500,000 euro worth of damage was done to the plane - to the nose, the nose wheel, the hydrolics and the electrics and that the cost of the damage was likely to be revised upwards.

Such planes are used to transport troops, weapons, ammunition and explosives to the Middle East and Gulf conflicts. This one won't be going anywhere in a hurry, and is now in a hanger at the airport.

The 50-year-old woman appeared at Killaloe District Court this afternoon charged with causing damage to the US Navy plane. She was charged with causing damage to a US Navy 737 airplane, belonging to the US government, without lawful excuse.

The Court was told it was Mary's defence that she acted with lawful excuse. Mary was initially remanded in custody with consent to bail on her own surety of 5,000 euro. She was ordered to leave County Clare immediately, surrender her passport, and sign on three times a week at Skibbereen Garda Station. However, she refused to sign the bail bond and was remanded in custody to appear at Tulla District Court on 5 February.

She's in Limerick Prison right now, but you can wright her a letter of support here:

Mary Kelly
19, Inis Ealga
Shannon
Co. Clare
Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)61-365871
shannonpeacecamp at hotmail.com