From the B52 press relase
This afternoon, Tuesday 22 May, at Bristol Crown Court, the trial of
two Oxford peace activists Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch (known as the 'B52
Two') concluded with the jury returning a unanimous verdict of not-guilty- in
less than three hours. The two were charged with conspiring to cause
criminal damage at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on 18 March 2003 when they tried to
safely disable US B52 bombers to prevent them from bombing Iraq[1]. The court
heard the two men acted to prevent damage to life and property in Iraq, and
war crimes by the aggressors [2].
The trial started on Monday 14 May 2007. This is the second trial for
the alleged offence; the first in October 2006 ended in a hung jury, after
12 hours of deliberation spread over three days. The two accused were facing up
to ten years in jail. There are two other similar cases awaiting re-trial, due
to hung juries, at Bristol crown court.
The two activists maintain that war crimes were committed in the
bombing as cluster bombs, which spread unexploded bomblets that kill and maim
civilians (like mines) were used, as were 'bunker busting' bombs tipped with
depleted uranium that fragments, spreading radioactive toxins which are harmful
to civilians.
During the trial the prosecution accepted that even delaying the
bombers would have prevented civilian casualties, as it would have allowed those
fleeing cities more time to escape. In his hour and a half summing up today,
Justice Crowther explained the legal tests that must be met for the prosecution
to succeed, he reiterated the facts and summarised the evidence. A
document 'steps to verdict' had been provided to assist the jury.
Toby Olditch said "We're overjoyed, and thankful for the good sense of
the jurors, for the wonderful support we've received, and for the
commitment and expertise of our legal representatives. But hundreds of thousands of
Iraqi people have still suffered as a result of the Government's actions. It
shouldn't have come to the point that people had to take direct action
to try to check the abuse of executive power."
Phil Pritchard "I am delighted that the jury have returned a unanimous
not-guilty verdict. Our action in trying to prevent illegal attacks on
the people of Iraq in 2003 is vindicated. I hope war of this kind never
happens again."
ENDS
Media contact at court: 07910 329 211
Editors Notes
A full press briefing is available on request. Philip Pritchard is 36
years old, and a self employed carpenter and father. Toby Olditch is 38 years old,
and a self employed builder. They both live in Oxford. The defendants were
represented in court by barrister Edward Rees, Q.C. from Doughty Street
Chambers, London. Their solicitor is Mike Schwarz of Bindmans &
Partners, London.
[1] The two men were arrested inside the perimeter fences at RAF
Fairford in the early morning of 18 March 2003, just two days before the bombing of
Iraq started. They carried with them tools to damage the planes, nuts and
bolts to jam the aircrafts engines, pictures of ordinary Iraqi civilians and
paint symbolizing blood and oil. They also carried warning signs for
attaching to any damaged planes which would help alert aircrew to their action. The
two men acted nonviolently in a way which would not result in harm to anyone,
including the military personnel at Fairford. They intended to stay with the
planes and tell the operators what they'd done.
[2] Civilian casualties in Iraq since the invasion are estimated
between 68,796 (Iraq Body Count) and 650,000 (Lancet October 2006). More bombs were
dropped in the initial 'shock and awe' attack on Iraq than in the whole of the
first gulf war.
