Five Catholic Worker protesters found not guilty in Ireland

Published: 2006-07-27

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Five peace protesters, all members of the Catholic Worker movement, were found not guilty of causing $2.5 million worth of damage to a U.S. Navy plane parked in a hangar at Ireland's Shannon Airport in February 2003. The Dublin Criminal Circuit Court ruled July 25 that the five -- two Irish, one Scot, one American and one Australian -- were not guilty of causing damage to U.S. government property and the Aer Rianta doors at the airport. The five admitted in the court that they had forced their way into the hangar and had attacked the plane, but said their actions were legally excusable because they were trying to protect lives and property in Iraq, which the U.S. invaded the following month. After attacking the nose cone and windows of the plane with hammers and paint, the five prayed. They offered no resistance when arrested. The five also were members of the Pitstop Ploughshares group. They are Nuin Dunlop of the United States, Ciaron O'Reilly of Australia, Karen Fallon of Scotland, and Deirdre Clancy and Damien Moran, both from Ireland.

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