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UK: Peace women cleared over Hawk attack

01 July 1996

Four women peace campaigners walked free from Liverpool Crown Court in July after a jury found them not guilty of criminal charges despite their admission that they did more than ?1.5 million worth of damage to a Hawk military aircraft. The fighter plane, which was housed at the British Aerospace (BA) plant at Warton, Lancashire, was destined for the western-backed military dictatorship in Indonesia, which is carrying out a campaign of genocide against the people of East Timor which was forcibly annexed in 1975. The jury accepted the womens' argument that their actions were legal under British and international law, because they were using reasonable force to prevent a greater crime. While BA have stated that they operate within the British government's guidelines there is video evidence that the Hawk's are used as ground attack aircraft to attack and kill Timorese civilians. Amnesty International has estimated that 200,000 East Timorese (about a third of the population) have died at the hands of the military junta, which seized power in 1965. There are also reports that Indonesian security forces are using British riot control vehicles, Tactical armoured personnel carriers, built by Glover Webb which is part of the GKN Defence network, to suppress demonstrations in the capital Jakarta. The security forces are also believed to have been equipped with electric cattle-prod shock batons - frequently used as weapons of torture against those in detention - supplied by a South African associate of SDMS Security Products in London. Other, unconfirmed, reports claim that British-built Scorpion 90 tanks were seen on the streets of Jakarta after demonstrations in July. New Statesman 19.7.96; Independent 31.7.96, 2.8.96.