Shannonwatch

The covert use of Shannon Airport by the US military is once again excalating, based on official statistics from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. This is borne out by our own monitoring of the airport.

Yesterday evening (Saturday May 11th) at 8pm there were no civilian aircraft delivering or taking on civilian passengers at the airport. There were however 3 US warplanes. One was a US Marine Corps Hercules KC130J with mid air refuelling capacity number OH 16-9229, and this was accompanied by a smaller US Marine Corps executive jet, number VM 16-6767 Cesna UC-35D Citation Encore. These two aircraft were being protected by an Irish army patrol, and their crews and military passengers were most likely staying overnight in a local hotel. There was also an Omni Air International troop carrier, registration N225AX which is capable of carrying up to 300 armed US troops.

At Shannon Airport on May 7th we photographed these two US military aircraft.

One was a Hercules C130H number 92-3085, which arrived on 6th May, stayed overnight, and took off at 09.22am heading East towards Europe or Middle East.

The other was a US Air force C-146A Wolfhound.

Earlier this week, the two Veterans for Peace activists Tarak Kauff and Ken Mayers unfurled their banner on the carriageway approaching Shannon Airport.

They did this to highlight the ongoing misuse of the airport by the US military.

US Veterans and peace activists Ken Mayers and Tarak Kauff who entered Shannon Airport on March 17^th with the intention of investigating an Omni Air International plane on contract to the U.S. military are still being denied permission by the Irish state to travel home to the US to their families. 

For information on their ongoing case see http://www.stopthesewars.org/kenandtarak/.

Meanwhile here is a powerful and heart-felt letter by peace activist Kathy Kelly. In response to the letter, Tarak wrote: "Feel free to be inspired to write your own to Irish Consulates and use some of her excellent points. I believe the majority of Irish citizens are not in favor of the US military's use of Shannon Airport. This is a time to keep the pressure on, not just for Ken and I, we're only instruments to draw attention to this issue, but if the Irish government ever has the courage to stand up to US militarism and wars - and that will only come about from public pressure - it will be a great victory for the world peace movement.

On March 27th a peace vigil was held at Limerick prison for Us Veterans for Peace Tarak Kauff and Ken Mayers. They are displaying the larger version of the banner that Ken and Tarak took into Shannon Airport on March 17th when they attempted to inspect and investigate a US military contracted plane.

Press Statement: Two US Veterans For Peace refused Bail at Ennis District Court

Monday 18 March

A group of seven US Veterans for Peace took part in a protest against US Military Base at Shannon Airport on Sunday March 17^th.

WHY? Shannon used for refueling troop planes bound for Middle East wars in which up to one million [1,000,000] children have died since 1991.

Two US veterans were arrested at Shannon Airport on 17 March for entering the airfield to inspect and investigate an OMNI Air International plane on contract to the U.S. military.  The two, Tarak Kauff and Ken Mayers, were refused bail at Ennis District Court today.

The plane, tail number N351AX, arrived at Shannon Airport about 8.30 a.m. from Eielson US air force base in Faribanks Alaska, believed to be on its way to the Middle East with up to 300 armed US troops.