Five anti-war protesters charged with damaging a United States of America aircraft at Shannon Airport in February 2003 were carrying a large pickaxe and several hammers with anti-war slogans inscribed on them, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.
"Put a stop to genocidal war", "War stops here", "The war ends here", "B52 swords into ploughshares", "The B-52 has killed and plans to kill children" were among slogans engraved on the implements along with ancient celtic emblems, the jury was told on day two of the trial.
The court also heard that one of the hammers was a 6-foot long plastic inflatable "baloony thing" in the Irish Tricolour with the words "Hammered by the Irish" written on it. Prosecuting counsel, Conor Devally SC, described it as an "object normally carried by patriotic football supporters."
The five accused are Damien Moran a student priest with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Dublin and Ciaran O'Reilly an Australian, both working with homeless people and living at the same address on South Circular Road, Rialto; Karen Fallon a Scottish marine biologist, also living on SCRd; Nuin Dunlop, from the United States of America, a trained counsellor who lives in Dublin city centre; and Deirdre Clancy, a copy editor, of The Spinnaker, Alverno, Clontarf.
They have all pleaded not guilty to one count of damaging a US naval plane and to causing similar damage to two glass door panels at Aer Rianta at Shannon Airport on February 3rd, 2003 Sgt Michael O'Connell of Shannon Garda Station, who was on protection duty of the aircraft on February 3rd, 2003, told Mr Devally that he was standing by the door of his car which was parked about 30-40 yards from the plane when he heard a loud bang.
At about 3.30am the five accused came running onto the hangar "roaring and shouting". He was shocked and frightened and was unable to say for sure exactly what they were saying. Sgt O'Connell told the jury of nine women and three men that he tried to stop them by putting his outstretched arms and body between them as they ran towards the aircraft.
Sgt O'Connell said he then saw Mr O'Reilly jumping up and hitting the nose of the aircraft several times as Mr Moran hit another part of the plane with his hammer.
Sgt O'Connell said the three women were at the rear of the aircraft and all were using hammers, one of which was the plastic inflatable one. Sgt O'Connell said he eventually managed to take the pickaxe from Mr O'Reilly and was also able to disarm Moran as he attacked the plane.
Sgt O'Connell said he had radioed for assistance before he began the struggle with the protesters and two other gardai arrived in response to his call. By this stage the weapons were on the ground and the protesters were sitting in a circle saying prayers.
Pressed by Mr Hugh Hartnett, defence counsel for Mr O'Reilly and Mr Moran, Sgt O'Connell agreed that even though he could not specifically say what the protesters were saying when they charged into the premises he heard them shouting something about "God".
He also agreed with Mr Hartnett that Mr O'Reilly had been "comforting" towards him. He also agreed with Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, that all the protesters showed absolutely no malice towards him personally during the whole episode and they were always courteous towards gardaí.