Five anti-war protesters charged with damaging a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport will not stand trial in Co Clare after a judge ruled that they would get a fairer trial in Dublin.
The five - who are all members of the international Catholic Worker Movement - were due to go on trial at Kilrush Circuit Court next week.
Mr Damien Moran, Mr Kieran O'Reilly, Ms Nuin Dunlop, Ms Karen Fallon and Ms Deirdre Clancy are all charged with causing criminal damage to a US plane at Shannon on February 3rd. They are also charged with trespassing on the same date.
At Limerick Circuit Court yesterday, Mr Michael O'Higgins BL, defending, said that the accused would have difficulty in securing a fair trial in Co Clare.
He argued that jury members from the county would likely have a stake "directly or indirectly" in the economic interests of Shannon Airport.
He added that a Dublin jury would be less likely to have been influenced by media reports of the incident.
Judge Carroll Moran agreed to the application, adding that his ruling should not be seen as "any slight on the people of Co Clare".