The EDO MBM ZF RAU is an essential part of the main bomb rack of the Israeli F16, used to commit war crimes in Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories. Under UK law anyone who acts to assist war criminals is guilty of an offence under the ICC, Geneva Conventions, and Criminal Law acts.
The section on the arming unit that used to be on a 'pylon ancillaries' page of the EDO MBM website has now vanished although the protesters legal team retain their copies.
The webpage was exhibited as evidence in the part-heard trial of two anti-war activists just last month in Brighton Magistrates Court. The trial of the two rooftop occupiers was only part-heard and has been put back to the summer. The webpage also formed defence evidence in the EDO Injunction case that collapsed last year.
In next week's trial of the EDO Blockade Three, Paul Hills, managing Director of EDO MBM, is likely to be called as a witness to answer questions about the products of the company. By removing the web reference, Hills appears to be trying to cover up the evidence against his company.
In December 2005, former Managing Director of EDO MBM, David Jones, admitted to Lewes Crown Court that he had hidden a reference on the company webpage to the Israeli VER-2 bomb rack to try and dampen Palestine solidarity protests. He resigned a few weeks after the admission.
Despite the latest attempt at subterfuge, Paul Hills will still have to answer questions on another webpage found on the main US EDO Corp site that advertises the EDO MBM Zero Force Retention Arming Unit as 'current application' of the Israeli Air force (IAF). See: http://www.edocorp.com/documentation/ZeroRetentionForceArmingUt.pdf
Sources close to the company reveal Hills has found it politically difficult to get any favours from the EDO Corp board, what with the mess his company has created for his American bosses.
The closure last year of EDO Rugged Systems, a quarter of the UK operation, was a massive blow to the Brighton arms makers and a major victory for the protesters.
EDO Blockade Trial begins Monday 23rd at Brighton Magistrates Court, Edward Street and is set to last 3-5 days.
More on EDO Corps’s dodgy dealings here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_EDO_Corporation#_note-16
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