available here:

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/01/283395.html

Is there any UK solidarity effort in support of Katharine Gun? Is there anyway we could donate the odd shilling to the costs of her defence?

Here we have a very courageous young woman who is a shining example to all of us, and a ray of hope in the political world of lies,lies and more lies. We CANNOT simply let her go to prison !! All British people must feel shame if we allow the lying fuckers who she exposed as trying to plant illegal bugs, put HER in prison. The Americans of good heart are rallying to support her - what can we Brits do ? Answers please.

according to the Observer article linked above, somebody already has something underway:

"Sean Penn and Jesse Jackson have already signed a statement of support for Gun and a broader campaign will be launched later this year."

what follows is: what 'broader campaign' is this? what's in the statement? when will that statement be released? who will be co-ordinating this campaign?

also check  http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/ for updates as they are representing KG.

Yeh, I mentioned the Americans were doing something, I just feel this is the kind of issue where thousands of British people should be out on the streets protesting. I mean, if Katharine isn't worth it, who is ?

You can either donate cash, become a member or volunteer for Liberty, the human rights & civil liberties NGO which is acting as Katharine Gun's legal defense.

 http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/
 http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer-at-liberty/
 http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/get-involved/donate/

Tuesday January 20, 2004
Richard Norton-Taylor / The Guardian

Woman's lawyers fight to lift GCHQ gag

Translator in court accused of leaking details of US 'dirty tricks'

GCHQ, the government eavesdropping centre, has banned a former employee charged under the Official Secrets Act from saying anything to her lawyers about her work there, it emerged yesterday.
Katharine Gun, 29, is accused of leaking information about a US "dirty tricks" operation, said to have taken place before the American-led invasion of Iraq and aimed at UN security council members.

She has said her alleged disclosures exposed serious wrongdoing by the US and could have helped to prevent the deaths of Iraqis and British forces in an "illegal war".

Ms Gun, a GCHQ translator, was arrested in March - eight months before she was charged - at a time when it was reported that America's national security agency, GCHQ's US partner, was conducting a secret surveillance operation, bugging UN delegates' home and office telephones and emails.

The NSA made clear that the particular targets of what was described as an eavesdropping "surge" were the delegates from Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria, Guinea and Pakistan - the six crucial "swing votes" on the security council. A memo sent by Frank Koza, a senior NSA official, said the information would be used against the key UN delegations.

Ben Emmerson QC, Ms Gun's counsel, said yesterday: "GCHQ has imposed a blanket restriction on the ability of Katharine Gun to give instructions to her lawyers."

He was speaking during a short hearing at Bow Street magistrates court in London, where Ms Gun was committed for trial at the Old Bailey. He said he intended to get the ban lifted as soon as possible.

Ms Gun is charged under the section one of the 1989 Official Secrets Act, which imposes an absolute ban on members or former members of the security and intelligence agencies, preventing them from saying anything about their work without official authority.

However, she intends to deny breaching the act, saying she disclosed the information out of necessity. The court of appeal last year ruled that the "necessity defence" was admissible under the act in the event of an imminent threat to life and limb.

Her case, which is being supported by Liberty, the civil rights group, is likely to raise the question of the legality of the war against Iraq, with the potential to severely embarrass the government. A key witness could be Elizabeth Wilmshurst, deputy legal adviser to Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, who left her post at the start of the war last March.

High-profile figures in the US who have signed a statement backing Ms Gun's case include actor Sean Penn, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, president of the Newspaper Guild Linda Foley, and Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers containing evidence of US involvement in Vietnam in 1971.

Ms Gun, who is on unconditional bail, will appear at the Old Bailey for a pre-trial hearing on February 16. A trial is unlikely to begin before the autumn.

they don't advertise it very well but you can join on concession rate for 8pounds / year. contact  membership@liberty-human-rights.org.uk for details.