Fairford Five High Court Appeal in London Tuesday 29th June to Thursday 1st
July


The Fairford Five, Margaret Jones, Paul Milling, Phil Pritchard, Toby
Olditch, and Josh Richards have been have been at the Royal Court of
Justice in the Strand from Tuesday June 29th to Thursday July the
31st. The five peace activists, who undertook "disarmament" of planes
and military equipment at RAF Fairford before the start of the 2003
attack on Iraq, are calling for the right to argue that they were
trying to delay the start of a war they believed to be illegal.


In a surprise move by the prosecution in the case of the Fairford Five
appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice today, a witness statement on
behalf of the Crown by a senior Foreign Office official was introduced
just ten minutes before the start of the hearing. It argued that if an
English court were to express an opinion on the legality of the war,
any such statement would be "prejudicial to the national interest" and
to the cause of international peace and stability. Furthermore, the
court might issue an opinion on the war "which might differ from those
expressed by the Government."


Lawyers for the Fairford Five called it "absurd" to suggest that any
ordinary criminal court could have such an impact. Hugo Charlton,
barrister for the defendant Josh Richards and Chair of the Green
Party, pointed out that the introduction of the statement "at such a
late stage" rendered it irrelevant from a legal point of
view. Charlton added, "It would be a disgrace if a defendant were
prevented from arguing that they were trying to stop a crime, just
because it would be embarrassing to the Government." Margaret Jones,
one of the Fairford Five says: "If anything, this statement shows how
very insecure the Government still are about their whole Iraq policy."


The Judge may reserve his judgement for some days or weeks before giving a
ruling. The appeal has attracted extensive quality national coverage. See:-


Guardian Tuesday 29/6/04
Who really broke the law?
Clare Dyer



Guardian Tuesday 29/6/04
Peace activists challenge judge's ruling over Iraq war
Press Association



Guardian Wednesday 30/6/04
Activists appeal over Iraq legality
Clare Dyer



Guardian Thursday 1/7/04
Foreign Office asks judges not to rule on Iraq war legality
Clare Dyer







Paul Milling and Margaret Jones outside the High Court in London. Tuesday
29/6/04
Photo by Rowland Dye






Fairford Five with banner outside the High Court in London. Tuesday 29/6/04
Photo by Rowland Dye






Fairford Five with model bomber outside the High Court in London. Tuesday
29/6/04
Photo by Rowland Dye






Fairford Five with model bomber outside the High Court in London. Tuesday
29/6/04
Photo by Rowland Dye