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Derry Anti War Coalition (link to website)

Sinn Fein is to raise the Raytheon question at the next meeting of Derry City Council

Tuesday 10th October 2006

The Derry Anti War Coalition welcomes the announcement that Sinn Fein is to raise the Raytheon question at the next meeting of Derry City Council.

Apparently, Raytheon confirmed to Sinn Fein on Monday that the Springtown plant has helped produce the JETTS system for the MoD. As the Belfast Telegraph and the DAWC has previously pointed out, this fact was revealed by NIO Minister Angela Smith on February 27th last.

The Springtown plant is also involved in ASTOR, the bomb guidance system currently being used in Afghanistan to guide bombs to their targets. The Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign and the DAWC have been raising this for the past two years.

The DAWC wrote last week to the council asking to be allowed to speak to the next council meeting on a series of questions which arise from these facts and which can no longer be avoided by any party on the council.

We believe that the council should forthwith declare Raytheon unwelcome in Derry.

We point out that: Seven months after the council resolution of January 2004, on August 23rd that year, local Raytheon boss Stephen Lewis met with Jim McConnell of Invest Northern Ireland to discuss the MoD for the software component of JETTS. McConnell's minute of the August 2004 meeting told: "Key issue for NISSC (the Derry plant) on this contract will the attitude of the council. Both the MOD and RSLD (Raytheon) will be looking for acceptance in principle that the council have no objections regarding this work. NISSC to write to the council and Alan McCormick will be planning to meet Tony McGurk to update him and see how best to move forward. Company will not issue a press release...

"If the council is reluctant to back the project then the future of NISSC is uncertain."

The minute records that, "McCormick thanked Invest NI for its support during this period, including our input to the Derry Council situation. It appears that the current mayor...is very supportive."

So, the JETTS issue is by no means new.

Among the questions which arise are: Did Raytheon seek, and did it obtain, "acceptance in principle that the council have no objections regarding this work"? Did the envisaged meeting between Alan McCormick of Raytheon and Tony McGurk of the council take place? When? Was anyone else present? Was the meeting minuted? What was the outcome and to whom was the outcome reported? Which elected representatives, if any, were informed that these exchanges were taking place? Were any council officials or councillors aware of or collude in Raytheon's strategy of secrecy? ("Company will not issue a press release.")

It is now beyond question that Raytheon's Derry plant is dependent on war production for Western armies. It is also clear that the readiness of the council to approve Raytheon's presence is critical to the continuation of war production in this city.

The council should now put its words into practice and declare that the company is not welcome here

Most importantly: We call on the council and on Invest Northern Ireland to publish all documents and minutes of meetings relating to Raytheon's Derry operation, so as to facilitate an informed public debate on all the issues.





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