Shannonwatch

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has announced that new security measures are being implemented at Dublin Airport - but not Shannon - as a result of a European audit of airport security. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning (15 May) he stated that these measures included searching of all aircraft transiting through Dublin airport. However he went on to say that this applied to Dublin airport only and not to other Irish airports.

Prisoners at Shannon Airport - Edward Horgan and Justin Morahan in a Garda van following their detention for displaying a banner saying "US Troops Out of Shannon"

John Maguire detainee at Shannon for carrying a flag with the word "PEACE"

Three peace activists were detained by Gardai at Shannon Airport today for displaying signs saying "Peace" and "US Troops Out Of Shannon". After being removed from the airport they joined the regular second Sunday of the month vigil which took place from 2pm to 3pm outside the

The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal which was established in 2007 to investigate allegations of war crimes in Iraq, Palestinian territories and Lebanon has found former U.S. President George W. Bush and several other members of his administration guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a unanimous vote on Saturday (12 May), the second Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, which is part of an initiative by former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, found Bush and seven of his associates, including former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld guilty of torture and war crimes. 

The court also heard evidence from former detainees in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, of torture methods used by U.S. soldiers during their captivity in prisons run by American forces. 

In the last week two aircraft owned by a company linked to rendition flights have been spotted at Shannon. The Learjet 36s, with registrations N71PG and N54PA, are operated by Phoenix Air Group, based in Cartersville, Georgia. The company carries out air ambulance and cargo services as well as military operations for the US Government, and the aircraft are known to have visited the US military interrogation and detention centre at Guantanamo Bay over the past number of years.

While N54PA is operated by Phoenix Air its registered owner is a company called VPC Planes of Wilmington, Delaware.

Galway Alliance Against War held a peaceful symbolic funeral for Irish neutrality as part of last Saturday's demonstrations at the Labour Party conference in Galway. The funeral was long overdue as it has now been over a decade since millions of armed US troops, munitions and CIA torture planes started to come through Shannon Airport on a daily basis.

Gardai protecting warplanes from expressions of peace

Hercules C-130T at Shannon

Easter Sunday saw two more Hercules C-130T warplanes at Shannon. As they sat on the airport ramp, a group of peaceful protestors gathered for the regular second- Sunday-of-the-month vigil. As usual the protestors were blocked from entering the airport, with a line of Gardai denying access to anyone who openly opposed the military presence.