HOME | IMC UK | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

Oxford Indymedia

International law defence tested at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday 19 Sept.

Andrew Wood | 17.09.2003 14:48 | Anti-militarism | Oxford

At 2 pm on Friday 19 September 2003 at Gloucester Crown Court, a hearing is expected to decide if peace activists can dispute the legality of the Iraq war at their trial. Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch , known as 'The B-52 Two', who are currently on bail, are charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage when they tried to disarm a B52 warplane at RAF Fairford in March 2003. If the judge decides their trial can dispute the legality of the war then it may make their acquittal easier.

Oxford Support Group
Supporting the B-52 Two

CONTACT: 07971 406 180 (mobile phone), 01865 423 200 (office)


Immediate release 17 September 2003
PRESS RELEASE

International law defence tested at Gloucester Crown Court
on Friday 19 September 2003
Photo opportunity

At 2 pm on Friday 19 September 2003 at Gloucester Crown Court, a hearing is expected to decide if peace activists can dispute the legality of the Iraq war at their trial. Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch [1], known as 'The B-52 Two', who are currently on bail, are charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage when they tried to disarm a B52 warplane at RAF Fairford in March 2003 [2]. If the judge decides their trial can dispute the legality of the war then it may make their acquittal easier.

Barristers Tony Jennings Q.C and Alison McDonald from Matrix Chambers acting for Toby Olditch and Philip Pritchard respectively will argue that International Law should have a bearing in the defence of the accused. The 'B-52 Two' have pleaded not guilty to their charges as they acted lawfully to uphold international law and prevent a crime.

Toby Olditch said,
"The Government should be held to account for their abuse of UK and International law. Liberation from a brutal dictator would be better served by non violent conflict resolution rather than bombing Iraq into subservience."

Philip Pritchard added,
"We intend to put Tony Blair and George Bush on trial for their criminal behaviour."
ENDS
CONTACT: 07971 406 180 (mobile phone), 01865 423 200 (office)

Editors Notes
The judge may reserve judgement in coming to a decision about the applicability of international law in this case.
Solicitor Mike Swartz of Bindman's Solicitors in London is acting for them both.
[1] Phillip Pritchard, 32, a carpenter and environmental education teacher and Toby Olditch, 34, a marketing executive are both Oxford residents.
[2] In the early hours of Tuesday March 18, the two peace activists were arrested as they approached a B-52 bomber inside the airbase at RAF Fairford. They intended to safely and openly hammer on the bomber to prevent it taking off and bombing people in Iraq. Cheltenham Magistrates Court remanded the two to Gloucester prison on 19 March until they were released on bail on 20 June 2003. They are charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage; going equipped to cause criminal damage, and aggravated trespass. See  http://www.b52two.org.uk for more details.
Picture Editors Notes
The 'B-52 two' will join a vigil at the steps of Gloucester Crown Court from 1.30 pm on Friday 19 September 2003. The vigil will remember the outbreak of war six months to the day.

OXFORD SUPPORT GROUP
Post: Oxford Support Group, 16 b Cherwell Street, Oxford. OX4 1BG.
Telephone: 01865 423 200 Email:  inspiraction2003@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.b52two.org.uk



Andrew Wood
- e-mail: inspiraction2003@yahoo.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.b52two.org.uk

Publish your news
-->

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Oxford Topics

Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech