An Irishwoman has been charged with breaching the perimeter of a nuclear submarine facility in Scotland. Ms Louise Maloney (18) was arrested on Thursday inside a high-security area where Trident submarines are berthed, at Faslane, Scotland.
She and a colleague from Trident Ploughshares 2000 were charged with entering Ministry of Defence property without permission.
Ms Maloney and Mr Marcus Armstrong from Surrey swam for 45 minutes across the "ice-cold" Gareloch to get inside the facility. They wore wet suits and flippers and carried spray paint in the hope of writing "Disarm NOW!" on a submarine.
The pair entered the waters opposite the base at 10.35 p.m. and crossed the loch in darkness. The alarm sounded at 11.30 p.m. when they reached the floating barrier at the edge of the high-security area.
The pair were arrested by what they believe to have been "ordinary police", but Ministry of Defence police, members of the navy and marines are also based at Faslane. Both protesters were charged with breaching base bylaws.
They say they were released three hours later at the gates of the facility. They met their solicitor outside the base, barefoot and in paper boiler suits, their wet suits and flippers having been confiscated as evidence.
Mr Armstrong said he and Ms Maloney "wanted to reach the heart of the beast in order to bring attention to the existence of these horrific weapons of mass destruction."
When contacted at the base yesterday, he said he and Ms Maloney were volunteers with the organisation, which aims to disarm Trident submarines.
They were taking part in a two-week "summer camp" during which members hold vigils and services and attempt to breach the perimeter fences and barriers.
