5 anti-war demonstrators were arrested inside the Royal Air Force Base at Feltwell yesterday afternoon. In addition, the 4-person support team (including an IMC videographer) were arrested across the road from the main entrance to the base.

The protest succeeded in disrupting normal operation of the base just as Friday afternoon shift change meant that large numbers of base personnel were attempting to enter and exit.

The base at Feltwell is run by the US Air Force as part of a network of "near-space tracking facilities". These tracking facilities are part of the USAF's attempt to militarize space so that prospective enemies can be nuked from orbit. Details of these USAF plans can be found on their website at  http://www.dtic.mil/jv2020/ (please note, this is a USAF site; use at your own risk). The plan - known as "Vision 2020" - states that "space forces will emerge to protect military and commercial interests and investment in the space medium..."

Feltwell also plays an important role as an electronic warfare and surveillance site - surveillance equipment at Feltwell is used as part of an ongoing US National Security Agency effort to monitor commercial, personal, and military electronic communications (phone, email, and radio) worldwide - for more information, see the Guardian story at  http://www.guardian.co.uk/europarl/Story/0,2763,498440,00.html

Observation of nearby bases at Lakenheath and Mildenhall in preparation for yesterday's incursion reveals that both of these installations are seeing massive amounts of air traffic as USAF transport, bomber, and fighter aircraft are funneled towards their deployment in the Persian Gulf region preparatory to a projected attack on Iraq.

The protesters were reportedly treated respectfully by Ministry of Defense police. 8 of the 9 arrestees have been released without being charged after spending 6-8 hours in detention at Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford police stations.

This incursion into Feltwell was the third direct-action protest at a US-run air base in as many weeks. Additional actions are being planned (see  http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=50083&group=webcast for further details).