B-52 Saboteurs, Freed by U.K. Jury, Highlight Anger at Iraq War

[struggle4progress]

By Charles Goldsmith

June 26 (Bloomberg) -- Self-employed carpenters Toby Olditch and Phil Pritchard may seem unlikely folk heroes for Britain's peaceniks: one is the son of a Royal Air Force officer and the other contemplated a career in the Royal Marines.

Yet the duo, acquitted by a jury last month of trying to sabotage U.S. B-52 bombers just before the Iraq War, reflect the fierce opposition to the war that Gordon Brown will confront when he becomes prime minister tomorrow. They argued that their action -- cutting the fence at a Royal Air Force base while armed with nuts, bolts, sand and peas to clog the planes' engines -- was aimed at preventing war crimes. ~snip~

Besides material to clog the engines, the duo carried a chisel to damage the aircraft noses, red and brown paint to signify blood and oil, and protest signs to paste on the planes.

The posters read: ``Caution. Bomber Grounded. Please do not attempt to fly these planes. They have been grounded in the interest of world peace. The bomb bay doors have been sealed to prevent the killing of innocent people.'' ~snip~

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aY_0tLTOKRXQ&refer=uk

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