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Derry Anti War Coalition (link to website)

Not guilty verdict for B52 Two in Bristol

Monday 28th May 2007

Derry Anti War Coalition has called on the Public Prosecution Service to drop the charges against the Raytheon 9 following the acquittal last Tuesday (22 May), at Bristol Crown Court, of two Oxford peace activists charged with similar offences. The trial of Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch (known as the 'B52 Two') concluded with the jury returning a unanimous verdict of not-guilty- in less than three hours.

DAWC spokesperson, Davy McAuley, says "the B52 Two, like DAWC members the Raytheon 9, acted to prevent damage to life and property, and war crimes by the aggressors. Just as the Raytheon 9 will, the B52 Two came to the courtroom not as the accused but as accusers determined to show who the real criminals are."

The Bristol trial started on Monday 14 May 2007. It was the second trial for the alleged offence; the first in October 2006 ended in a hung jury, after 12 hours of deliberation spread over three days. The two accused were facing up to ten years in jail.

Davy McAuley says that the two activists maintained that war crimes were committed in the bombing of Iraq, just as the DAWC maintain war crimes were being committed in Lebanon. "Their defence was that cluster bombs, which spread unexploded bomblets that kill and maim civilians (like mines) were used in Iraq, as were 'bunker busting' bombs tipped with depleted uranium that fragments, spreading radioactive toxins which are harmful to civilians. Our action last August, which led to the arrest of the Raytheon 9, was in response to the Raytheon 'bunker buster' that killed women and children in Qana, South Lebanon.

Speaking after their acquittal, Toby Olditch of the B52 Two said "We're overjoyed, and thankful for the good sense of the jurors, for the wonderful support we've received, and for the commitment and expertise of our legal representatives. But hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people have still suffered as a result of the Government's actions. It shouldn't have come to the point that people had to take direct action."

Phil Pritchard "I am delighted that the jury have returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict. Our action in trying to prevent illegal attacks on the people of Iraq in 2003 is vindicated. I hope war of this kind never happens again."

The Raytheon 9 will appear in court on Tues 5th June when the Preliminary Enquiry into their alleged crimes will take place and a date set for the full trial. DAWC spokesperson Davy McAuley says the Bristol verdict shows that "juries are unwilling to criminalise anti-war activists while the real war criminals - the politicians that lied to start a war that has killed hundreds of thousands in the Middle East - walk free. It's time the Prosecution Service dropped the charges against the Raytheon 9."





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