14 January 2013
The Crown Prosecution Service has cleared four Smash EDO protesters of public order charges after finding ‘no realistic prospect of conviction’. The decision came on 3rd January 2013 just weeks before a five day trial was due to begin in Brighton Magistrates Court.
Two anti-militarist activists were found guilty of aggravated trespass in Brighton today. The pair had glued themselves to the gates of the EDO MBM factory in the early hours of 27th April 2011 in protest at the sale of bomb rack umbilical cables called Field Replaceable Connector Systems (FRCS) for use on US warplanes and also to the Israeli military.
Smash EDO Press Release,. Wed 22 August 2012, Contact: Andrew Beckett or Sam Hayward – 0752655743
*
CASE NAME:
R-v-Nero and Pidwell
VENUE: Brighton Magistrates Court
Edward Street, Brighton
TIME: 10:am
DATE: 23 August 2012
+
Brighton Magistrates are expected to announce a judgement in the case of R v. Nero and Pidwell on Thursday 23 August 2012. The case continues from 2 August after running out of time due to complex legal arguments and evidence about aircraft weapons technology.
Two anti-war activists, Jessica Nero and Gavin Pidwell, face charges of Aggravated Trespass. In their defence they have presented evidence of the unlawful business activities of Brighton arms company EDO MBM Technology Ltd, a subsidiary of US arms maker ITT Exelis Inc. Exelis is a a $1.7billion multinational arms, security, and intelligence
technology company.
Jessica Nero and Gavin Pidwell were arrested on 26 April 2011 after blocking the firm’s factory gates in protest at its ongoing manufacture of weapons system umbilical connectors being supplied for use on the new Israeli F-35 aircraft, as well as US F-16, and A-10 fighter jets, all of which carry illegal cluster bombs as part of their arsenals.
Section 2 (2) of The Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010 makes it an offence for any British person or resident to assist the use of cluster bombs.
The Managing Director of EDO MBM, Paul Hills, who has worked in the weapons system business for 23 years was cross-examined on the lawfulness of his business by the defendants legal team on 1 August. He denied knowing that a Joint Stand Off Weapon (JSOW) onto which his company’s parts are fitted,is a cluster bomb.
Smash EDO spokesperson Andrew Becket commented: ‘There has been clear documentary evidence presented in this case that EDO MBM have engaged in unlawful activities including assistance in the use of cluster bombs and the supply of military equipment for Israeli war planes contrary to UK domestic law.’
The defendants are represented by Teresa Blades of Kellys Solicitors, Brighton.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EDO MBM’s PARENT COMPANY CRIMES
EDO MBM is a UK subsidiary of US arms maker ITT Exelis Inc. ITT is a $1.7billion multinational arms company with a notorious twentieth-century history of support for the fascist regimes in Spain, Germany, and Chile.
More recently ITT pled guilty in 2007 to illegal exports and cover-up of secret military technology to China over a 25 year period. As part of a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice, ITT paid $100million in fines, which at the time was one of the largest criminal fines for breaches of arms export controls in paid in US history.
EDO MBM’s previous parent company EDO Corp pled guilty 2003 to illegal arms exports and agreed to pay a $2.5 million fine to US authorities.
Both corporations were placed under increased auditing and compliance regimes as a result of their convictions.
From 1983 to 2000 EDO MBM was owned by the British Morgan Crucible PLC, under the direction its then CEO Ian Norris. Ian Norris was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice in December 2010 after destroying company documents related to a corporate fraud investigation into Morgan Crucible in the same period that EDO MBM was owned by the conglomerate. After being extradited to the US, Ian Norris was tried, convicted sentenced to 18 months in a US prison.
In June 2010 the crown court acquitted seven Smash EDO activists of £180,000 damage to the factory after a defence of ‘lawful excuse’ was accepted by the jury on grounds that it was reasonable to believe EDO MBM were engaged in illegal arms exports to the Israel Air Force of arming units used to commit war crimes in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead in January 2009.
Smash EDO spokesperson Andrew Beckett said, ‘EDO MBM have failed to learn anything from their parent firms corrupt histories or their own exposure in the crown court in 2010 as liars. They continue to act illegally,and unethically with apparent impunity. Like their bosses before them, the directors of EDO MBM have sought to cover up these crimes with lies and misrepresentations in numerous judicial proceedings.’
‘Sussex Police have done nothing to stop these acts, in fact by neglecting to do their duty they have effectively supported them. It’s time to bring this sordid tale of police collusion with arms dealer corruption to an end’.
ENDS
Contact: Andrew Beckett or Sam Hayward – 07526557436
smashedopress@riseup.net
Smash EDO website: http://www.smashedo.org.uk
CASE NAME: R-v-Nero and Pidwell
VENUE: Brighton Magistrates Court Edward Street, Brighton TIME: 10:am DATE: 31 July 2012 – 2 August 2012
On 31 July 2012, two anti-war activists will face charges of Aggravated Trespass in Brighton Magistrates Court. In their defence they will present evidence of the unlawful business activities of Brighton arms company EDO MBM Technology Ltd, a subsidiary of US arms maker ITT Exelis Inc. a $1.7billion multinational arms, security, and intelligence technology company. Jessica Nero and Gavin Pidwell were arrested on 26 April 2011 after blocking the firm’s factory gates in protest at its ongoing manufacture of weapons system umbilical connectors being supplied for use on the new Israeli F-35 aircraft, as well as US F-16, and A-10 fighter jets, all of which carry illegal cluster bombs as part of their arsenals. Section 2 (2) of The Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010 makes it an offence for any British person or resident to assist the use of cluster bombs. The Managing Director of EDO MBM, Paul Hills will be a prosecution witness on the first day of the trial and is expected to be cross-examined on the lawfulness of his business by the defendants legal team. Smash EDO spokesperson Andrew Becket commented: ‘There is clear documentary evidence in this case that EDO MBM have engaged in unlawful activities- including assistance in the use of US cluster bombs and the supply of military equipment for Israeli war planes contrary to UK domestic law.’ The case is set to last to last 3 days. The defendants are represented by Teresa Blades of Kellys Solicitors, Brighton.
From FITWatch:
Fitwatch are heading to the Smash EDO demo in Brighton on Monday 16th July, and we’d love people to join us. Smash EDO protests have historically been heavily hit by snoopers from the FIT, Police Liaison and the National Domestic Extremism Unit and action is needed!
Protesters were forced to take robust action when the cops in the PLT unreasonably refused to comply with protesters requests to move away from the middle of the protest. The were given a warning (politely), but the PLTs insisted on mingling among protesters and remained a threat to protesters’ safety. A cordon of flags, banners and umbrellas was then deployed to contain the threat. Once the PLT were kettled, protesters used a minimum degree of force to escort the now flustered PLTs from the demonstration.
Incredibly the PLT allowed themselves to be pushed, shoved and barged without losing their smiles, and without arresting anyone. They are, after all, the ‘nice cops’, and they refused to admit that people just didn’t want them there. They tweeted instead that ‘many’ people on the demo were happy to ‘engage’ with them. They didn’t mention that much of the ‘engagement’ took the form of shoulder barges.
Cops have no place in our demos. The PLT have a track record of attempting to gain intelligence. They were directed to do so at the UkUncut demo at Nick Cleggs house, for example, when they questioned protesters about their knowledge of the target, and their attitude to protest tactics.
Whatever strategy they use to spy on us – whether it is FIT, Domestic Extremism Unit or PLTs –there is no reason why we should accept their presence on, or within, our demos.
Come to Brighton on Monday in solidarity, and to show the FIT they are not wanted, whatever colour uniform they have on. Meet up with Fitwatchers at the Smash EDO assembly point on Monday, or join us for a FW workshop on Sunday eve at the Cowley Club in Brighton. Everyone welcome to join in!
On the 16th July Smash EDO will be meeting at 1pm for a mass demonstration against the EDO MBM Brighton arms factory
The meeting point will be the Level.
The demonstration is focused on the production of weapons at the EDO factory in Mouslecoomb. The Brighton based business, a trading unit of US firm ITT Exelis, signed a contract with the US Department of Defence (DoD) on 26th June 2012 for the supply of Field Replaceable Connector System (FRCS) cables for US A-10 warplanes. The US Defense Logistics Agency has made the contract public and it can be viewed here – https://dibbs2.bsm.dla.mil/Downloads/Awards/SPM7M712D5011.PDF.
The A-10 warplane is known to carry cluster munitions (see USAF specifications here – http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=70 and a video of the A-10 dropping cluster munitions here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAPVORCBgUA).
Chloe Marsh of Smash EDO said “this new contract is yet another example of EDO MBM manufacturing equipment which is used unethically. In UK law it is illegal to facilitate the use of cluster munitions.”
Andrew Beckett said “On Monday 16th July we will demand to inspect the EDO MBM factory. The police have refused to investigate the lawfulness of EDO’s busines. However, we will not tolerate war crimes being facilitated by a company on our doorstep and we will continue to resist until this factory closes down.”
In May 2012 John Eaton, a director of the EDO MBM factory in Brighton, spoke on behalf of the company at an arms conference in Washington on work being done in Brighton to develop bomb release units with a footprint “the size of a dollar bill”.{1} In his abstract for the talk Eaton contends “flexible responses require new approaches to the delivery of small non traditional weapons from non traditional airframes involved in the kill chain.”[2]
ITT Exelis is already supplying components for the MQ9 Reaper (Predator B)drone, used by both the US and the UK in Afghanistan.[3]
In marketing its products in the US EDO is profiting from the covert and illegal war being fought by the US army and CIA using unmanned aircraft armed with miniature weapons in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.
Operations in Pakistan alone have killed at least 800 civilians, including 175 children.[4]
The US’ assassination policy is illegal under international law. The UK charity Reprieve, who are currently involved in a legal challenge against British involvement in US assassinations said “Evidence suggests that drone strikes in Pakistan are being carried out in violation of international humanitarian law, because the individuals who are being targeted are not directly participating in hostilities and/or because the force used is neither necessary nor proportionate.”[5]
Chloe Marsh, of Smash EDO said “This is just one example of the weapons being manufactured at the EDO factory being used in war crimes and is exactly why we have called for a citizen’s weapons inspection of the factory on July 16th.”
“We have been attempting to force EDO to be transparent about what it manufactures in Moulsecoomb for over eight years”
Andrew Beckett, commenting on a statement condemning the demonstration by Mike Weatherley MP, said “I think its shameful that the Brighton and Hove Conservative Party is defending a private company that is manufacturing weapons to be used in war crimes.”
“Mike Weatherley has again attempted to cloud the issue by linking the demonstration to the Olympic torch ceremony. In fact the ceremony is taking place in Hove whereas the EDO factory is in Moulsecoomb. The Conservatives are, again, trying to draw attention from the real issue, EDO MBM’s complicity in war crimes.”
[1] The presentation is available at http://www.indymedia.org.uk/media/2012/06//497549.pdf
[2] http://www.ndia.org/meetings/2610/Pages/default.aspx
[3] http://www.spacewar.com/reports/EDO_To_Develop_Weapon_Release_System_For_Predator_UAS.html
[4] Numbers of confirmed civilian deaths in Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/
[5] http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press/2012_03_12_UK_drones_legal_challenge/
On Monday 16th July 2012 at 1pm a group of concerned citizens from Brighton and beyond will be attempting to inspect the EDO MBM factory in Moulsecoomb to further highlight the factory’s complicity in the murder of innocent civilians around the world.
It has long been known that this local company has links with illegal and immoral arms deals and Smash EDO intend to hold them to account. Indeed a team broke in and successfully decommissioned the factory in January 2009 and then waited to be arrested by the police. At their later trial it was found that their actions were entirely legal which totally undermines the company’s insistence that they operate within English Law.
The two previous inspection attempts have resulted in stiff resistance from Sussex Police, who have refused to investigate war crimes being committed by the company.
This mass action is part of an ongoing “Summer of Resistance” which has seen almost daily actions by protesters against the factory in May and June and which will continue until the end of July.
Protester Howard Stone said “It seems every day we hear of attacks on civilians by fighter jets and drones around the world and I do not find it acceptable that parts to facilitate this are made in my neighbourhood”. SmashEDO wish it to be known that other events that may happen to be taking place in the city that day are of no interest to the group. Our intention is, as ever, only to disrupt the Arms Industry and those who support its continued existence.
For more information, contact Smash EDO press spokespersons Chloe Marsh or Andrew
Beckett on 07526557436 or see smashedo.org.uk
Smash EDO are half way through a Summer of Resistance against EDO/ITT Exelis. The aim of the summer is to intensify the pressure on the weapons factory, with as many actions as possible taking place between the 1st of May and the 1st of August. The more groups that take part the more effective it will be, so we need your help!
CALLOUT FOR ACTIONS:
So far, there have been things happening at or around the factory almost every day since the start of the summer campaign. Examples include surprise demos, reading of the names of the dead, a mass demo in town, phone and twitter blockades, pickets and occupations of Barclays, critical mass bike rides and reported night time sabotage at the factory.
This is a renewed call for groups to come and take action against EDO. With less than half of the summer to go, let’s see some actions!
Over 150 people marched from North Street to Hove town hall today in protest against the threat of war against Iran.
The protest, organised by campaigners against EDO MBM, a Brighton based arms company manufacturing military components used by the US and its allies, began at Barclays Bank. Barclays is a service provider to ITT Exelis, EDO MBM’s parent company, and is the largest global investor in the arms trade.
Sussex Police attempted to use Police Liaison Officers to infiltrate the march and gather information about protesters. However, participants in the march took direct action to kick Liaison Officers off the demo and keep the demonstration police free.
Chloe Marsh of Smash EDO said “hundreds of Brightonians turned out to protest against the threat of a new imperialist war in Iran. Those who took part in the protest also effectively prevented Police Liaison teams from maintaining a presence on the protest.”
The lack of police use of force on this demonstration was notable. Much though Sussex Police claim that this is due to the success of their new Police Liaison Officers, in fact the Liaison Offers were not engaged with by the attendees.
Smash EDO are in the midst of a three month Summer of Resistance campaign against the factory and are planning a mass citizen’s weapons inspection of the EDO factory on the 16th July. The campaign will continue until the EDO factory closes down.
