Anti-war protest:Three anti-war organisations yesterday called for a "mass picket" on the planned Green Party conference in the Mansion House between 1pm and 9pm today.
The groups in question are the Irish Anti-War Movement, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and the NGO Peace Alliance.
A press release from the three groups said the outgoing Fianna Fáil-led Government was guilty of "criminal acts of collusion" in permitting the use of Shannon airport by the US military.
"The new government, particularly if the Greens are in it or supporting it, must put an end to that criminality," the statement noted, and claimed Shannon was also used for "CIA-directed rendition (aka torture) flights carrying prisoners to undisclosed destinations".
The groups, which were behind the massive protest in Dublin in February 2003 prior to the start of the Iraq war, point out that the election manifesto of the Greens pledges the party to "end the use of Shannon airport by US military forces involved in the war in Iraq" and "insist that any aircraft suspected of involvement in illegal movements of prisoners must be searched".
The joint anti-war statement opposes "any compromise or fudge by the Green leadership that would allow Fianna Fáil to continue being part of this criminal and illegal military alliance".
A fourth organisation, Anti-War Ireland, said it was clear from reports of the Fianna Fáil-Green negotiations that "no commitment has been given to end the use of Shannon airport by the US war machine".
