EDO MBM have removed references to the 'Zero Force Retention Arming Unit' from their UK website just a few days before it was to be used as evidence in the defence of three anti war protesters.
The trial of the three begins on Monday 23rd at Brighton Magistrates Court. The move is just the latest in a history of attempts to hide the truth about what the Brighton arms firm is up to.
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
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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EDO MBM SUCK!
18.04.2007 21:49
edo mbm are doing down!!
tipobarra
Hidden VER-2 page
18.04.2007 23:02
Here is the page that advertises the Israeli VER-2 bomb rack hidden (we now know) in December 2004
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EDO MBM new parts for the F16
19.04.2007 02:25
OSD RDT&E PROJECT JUSTIFICATION (R2a Exhibit)
Project Justification Exhibit R-2A
Date: February 2007
APPROPRIATION/ BUDGET ACTIVITY RDT&E/ Defense Wide BA# 6 PE NUMBER AND TITLE
0605130D8Z - Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT)
0605130D8Z (P130) Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT)
PROJECT P130
main charge propellant at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). Additional outputs from FY 2006 funding include conducting final qualification testing of EI propellant at YPG (slated to occur in FY 2007).
Accomplishment/Planned Program Title FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009
1760 Umbilical Cord (Air Force) 0.423 0.000 0.000 0.000
Outcome: Increased reliability and service life of the MIL-STD 1760 interface umbilical by 10 fold. This umbilical transfers guidance information to weapons and is currently a one time use and throw away. The 508th Fighter Support Group at Hill AFB, Utah will evaluate an advanced umbilical connector, developed by EDO MBM Technology, Ltd. of the United Kingdom, which will disengage without being
damaged.
The current Air Force 1760 connecter is of a "screw on/pop off" design which is experiencing damage during weapon release. The EDO umbilical uses a collar that screws onto the weapon's 1760 connector and an umbilical cable that snaps on/off the collar and is repairable.
USAF could save roughly $315 thousand per year on cables for the F-16. Considering that the F-16 is projected to be in use until 2026, the overall life-cycle savings could reach as much as $6.0 million.
The primary outputs and efficiencies to be demonstrated are:
(1) that the EDO umbilical connector mates with Mil DTL-38999/20 and /24,
(2) that the connectors accept SAE-AS85049 self-locking
accessories and
(3) that they will disengage without damage from any coupled connector including partially mated
FY 06 Output: Contract for the test articles awarded. Eglin test plan completed.
Rather than funding separate tests the testing will be concurrent with programmed testing completing the final demonstration in 3rd Qtr FY07.
Completion date and publishing the Final Report planned for 4th Qtr FY 2007.
FY 2008 results include the planned transition of the umbilical cord into the Defense Logistic Supply Chain.
qwerty
Heads Up, Thumbs Down
19.04.2007 23:56
"What critics were most angry about was the fact that this decision actually supersedes the existing government policy of banning equipment sales when they may be used in the Occupied Territories. In effect, this means that restrictions have been lifted for all sales (specifically of parts) for American-made weapons, whether or not it is known that they will be used in conflict areas around the world."
Britain invokes US defense ties to break own Israel arms ban
British arms exports to Israel double in a year
Danny
update: case put back to july 2007
25.04.2007 21:09
mmm