RE-TRIAL ORDERED IN CASE OF FAIRFORD DEFENDANTS


Contacts:

Robbie Manson (solicitor) 07812 681 083

Margaret Jones 07804 464 014
(or 0117 94 66 885 BEFORE 9.00 am)

Paul Milling 07769 - 665235


A judge at Bristol Crown Court has ordered a re-trial in the case of two peace activists charged with damaging military equipment to stop planes taking off. After a day and a half of debate, the jury failed to reach any clear verdict.

Paul Milling and Margaret Jones are charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage after disabling several dozen bomb carrying and fuel vehicles at RAF Fairford in March 2003. They were attempting to hinder take-off of 14 B-52 planes to bomb Iraq at the start of the 2003 invasion. Milling and Jones say this was a bid to delay the planes’ departure for Baghdad and give more people time to flee the city – thus protecting property and helping to prevent war crime.

The trial begins next week at the same court, of Phil Pritchard and Toby Olditch, charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage for trying to reach and disable a B-52 bomber at Fairford.


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EXTRA BACKGROUND (Not Part Of Above Press Release)

The trial of Margaret Jones and Paul Milling were the first of 3 trials, of 5 defendants, known as the 'Fairford 5'. Paul Milling and Margaret Jones, Josh Richards, Phillip Pritchard and Toby Olditch (left to right) all tried to prevent or delay the take-off of American B-52 bombers from Fairford air force base in Gloucestershire. (Image: The 'Fairford 5' outside the Court Of Appeal in June 2004, as part of their attempt to have the right to argue that the Iraq war is illegal recognised as part of their defence. In April 2006, this defence was denied by the House Of Lords. They said - the crime of attacking another nation is a crime in international law, but cannot be said to be part of British domestic law.

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 http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=24830&search_text=fairford