Two arrested over 'disarming warplanes' at BAE Systems in Warton

[KPax]

Two people have been arrested in Lancashire after allegedly trying to disarm warplanes bound for Saudi Arabia.
The Rev Dan Woodhouse, a Methodist minister in Leeds and Sam Walton, a Quaker, are accused of entering the BAE Systems site in Warton to disarm planes.
Police said they were being held on suspicion of criminal damage.
In a statement, Rev Woodhouse said stopping warplanes "would save lives".
Rev Woodhouse added: "Stopping or even delaying Saudi Arabia having more planes with which to bomb Yemen would save innocent lives and prevent war crimes."
BAE Systems said the matter was being investigated by Lancashire Police and it was assisting officers with their inquiries.

[Lima Juliet]

Reminds me of this:

BBC - 11 March 2003 - Tornado attack probe launched.

The Ministry of Defence has begun an inquiry after a woman allegedly damaged a Tornado aircraft at RAF Leuchars in Fife.

A 48-year-old woman is due to appear at Cupar Sheriff Court on Wednesday after the incident. An RAF spokeswoman said it was understood that access had been gained to the base near St Andrews and that a hangar had been entered.

Tornados are among the aircraft being deployed to the Gulf but the aircraft involved is not part of the war preparations.

In a statement later, the MoD said: "We are conducting an inquiry into this incident. It is not acceptable for activists to be able to get in and damage an aircraft. "We will do all that we can to learn lessons from this, obviously security is something of an issue and we will continue to tighten it up, but that costs a huge amount of money."

RAF Leuchars is home to 43 and 111 Squadrons which both fly the Tornado F3 in the air defence role.

Meanwhile, two people have appeared at Cupar Sheriff Court in relation to an incident at RAF Leuchars on Monday. Roz Bullen, 33, from Edinburgh, and Petter Joelson, 22, from Glasgow, face two charges of malicious mischief relating to the perimeter fence and spray painting. They made no plea and were allowed bail.

A small group of anti-war protesters were outside the base on Saturday and were faced by a counter-demonstration staged by families of RAF personnel. Banners were held up by the forces families, urging people to "support our troops".

[Hipper]

Reminds me of this:


pounds 1.5m Hawk attack women freed | The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pounds-15m-hawk-attack-women-freed-1331285.html)

[Army Mover]

LOL - reminds me of a group of anti-war demonstrators turned up at RAF Gutersloh one Sunday lunchtime; demanding we cease storing nuclear weapons; in view of the fact it was pouring down with rain, we didn't have the heart to leave the Sgts Mess bar and go and tell them we didn't have any. :)

[MACH2NUMBER]

I think the rev Woodhouse should now spend some time looking after the needy in one of HM's plush hostels, Wormwood maybe.

[Thaihawk]

A pity the use of lethal force is not authorised within an area which is under the protection of the Official Secrets Act.

I wonder what would happen to these two if they tried trespassing at the Lockheed plant in Fort Worth. Perhaps one of out Texas based members could enlighten us?.

[Moi/]

Another Tornado base (RAF Leeming)... 2004

Always felt weird being on the main gate, by yourself for 2hrs...this certainly gave you a friend to talk too..

BBC NEWS | UK | England | North Yorkshire | Peace woman walked into RAF base (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/3400787.stm)

[Thaihawk]

Nukes at RAF Leeming?. Not quite. In fact, no nukes at any RAF base-as opposed to RAF Lakenheath, which is a USAF base masquarading as a RAF base since the WE169 was taken out of service.

Poor standards of reporting on the BBC.

[Airbubba]

Nothing new about 'activists' not being prosecuted for vandalizing military aircraft in the UK. :ugh:

“I was the pilot in this video, but did not fly the SR-71 out of RAF Greenham Common. I was the “mobile control” officer when the aircraft departed and the pilot was Maj Jim Jiggens, a USAF Thunderbird pilot and formally a US Army helicopter combat pilot in Vietnam.

On the evening of the air show featured in this video, women, who were protesting President Reagan’s decision to station intermediate nuclear missiles in England, broke into the security cordon around the air show aircraft and threw paint on several, including this SR-71.

Owing to the unique metals associated with the SR-71, the removing of the paint required special maintenance procedures to assure that no “hot spot” would develop on subsequent flights. It was quite a hassle and we were not amused over this incident.

Jim and I planned a farewell departure for the protesters who were encamped in a squalor of tents just outside the main gate. Jim obtained clearance for a “closed pattern” and turned to a downwind leg, descended to about 100 feet above the ground, and flew directly over the protesters’ encampment. It was early and probably most were asleep, but not for long.

Jim was flying about 250 knots and selected afterburner in both engines as he was approaching the tents. As the SR-71 accelerated to 350-400 knots, he pulled up and focused the plume (and noise) directly on the protesters. It was a magnificent sight.

I also had the honor to prefer charges against the women, but the British government later declined to prosecute.”

Lt.Col B.C. Thomas, USAF

From Col. Rich Graham's SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story:

In July of 1985, an SR-71 was flown to [England], on static display for visiting King Hussein of Jordan. The very next day, British nuclear protesters threw paint on the SR-71. There was no permanent damage to the aircraft. Several days later crews flew “low” passes over the protesters tents near [the RAF air base]. Rumor had it that several tents were leveled and hearing problems lasted for hours afterwards.”

From:

https://tacairnet.com/2014/11/07/blackbirds-revenge/

[NutLoose]

Detached from RAFG, we were warned there was a CND camp outside Lossie and we were to avoid talking to them etc...
First night there sampling the local brew downtown and staggering back past it to see four of our guys in it having a party with some of them. :E

Anyone remember the Greenham Common Tepees and the news that one night a car had pulled up when they were sleeping, the flap opened and a large selection of fishing maggots were chucked inside..... ohh, how I laughed when I read that.

[ImageGear]

What part of premeditated criminal damage to a front line jet putting it out of action does not constitute SABOTAGE.

Who knows if these particular jets were destined for RSA, it is irrelevant. They were on British soil. Should the need arise they would be frontline UK in short order.

A long custodial period in an uncomfortable environment is called for. Since we are at war in various places around the world, the "Protesters should be considered fortunate in having not been shot.

Imagegear

[superplum]

Nukes at RAF Leeming?. Not quite. In fact, no nukes at any RAF base-as opposed to RAF Lakenheath, which is a USAF base masquarading as a RAF base since the WE169 was taken out of service.

Poor standards of reporting on the BBC.
Wrong on three counts!
:cool:

[engineer(retard)]

Detached from RAFG, we were warned there was a CND camp outside Lossie and we were to avoid talking to them etc...
First night there sampling the local brew downtown and staggering back past it to see four of our guys in it having a party with some of them.

That was before the unfortunate fire that gutted their caravan in a Scottish mid winter and they had nowhere to stay :E

[sitigeltfel]

Anyone remember the Greenham Common Tepees and the news that one night a car had pulled up when they were sleeping, the flap opened and a large selection of fishing maggots were chucked inside..... ohh, how I laughed when I read that.

Cruelty to maggots!

[Evanelpus]

Several days later crews flew “low” passes over the protesters tents near [the RAF air base]. Rumor had it that several tents were leveled and hearing problems lasted for hours afterwards.”

This I like very much, hoorah!

[Wander00]

Jet noise, the sound of freedom.......

[A_Van]

Strange to read that such things happen.

Agree that those guys should be happy of not catching "flying lead". Also, letting them enjoy the music of a plane (they attempted to damage) breaking the sound barrier at low altitude could be a right bonus.

Or let them repeat this trick in Saudi Arabia - would be interesting to hear the results.

[Jumping_Jack]

RAF Leeming (1986) whilst it was under 'care & maintenance' had a peace camp for about 3 weeks. A handful of us were living in the Mess at Leeming (Catterick was full) and commuting daily in the ancient RAF MT bus. We used to wave cheerily to the protestors on the way out in the morning and on the way back in at the end of the day. I thinks that was the sum of their excitement. They didn't hang about for too long.....

[Davef68]

Re the SR71 - that was one of the reasons the F117 had armed UK Police guards round it when it eventually pitched up at fairford for IAT

[Fonsini]

I remember that Liverpool court case of the women who caused a million quid's worth of damage to a Hawk with hammers and were acquitted.

Liverpool juries are a little "different" when it comes to punishing people who break the law, just ask Ken Dodd. Over here in the US you would choose a jury in California - who would probably also have given them a payment from court funds.

[Expatrick]

I wonder what those protesters grew (up?)into..

[Wander00]

probably in Parliament now as was the Chair or Secretary of CND, cannot remember her name - Joan Ruddock peut etre?

[sitigeltfel]

I wonder what those protesters grew (up?)into..

They grew up?

[Hangarshuffle]

I'm no longer amazed by some of the comments on this thread. Shooting people, Thai hawk? Really? Thank God you don't reside here (hopefully).
Have a look. Couple of young lads for Gods sake.

Two arrested over 'disarming warplanes' at BAE Systems in Warton - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-38787630)

Also, hmmm.... maybe they've got a good point.
I mean lets be fair. We are British on here (mostly) and we are known for many things, eccentricity, including sticking up for the under-dog.
I've never been comfortable with a basically very odd country like Saudi using high tech weaponry to bomb ten bells out of a pretty unsophisticated civvy population in the Yemen.
Simple as.
Lighten up. And BAe.....I give up.

[EAP86]

It was quite common to see Quakers and Methodists at the gate as the site emptied in the evenings, usually they were just handing out leaflets and chatting while the traffic lights changed. While you might be sympathetic to their moral stance, I strongly suspect their basic premise is incorrect; is the Saudi Typhoon being used against Yemen?

Disputes in this area date back at least to the early 70s (Lightnings in ops with RAF secondee aircrew) and I believe the current flare up was initiated by the Yemenis' armed incursions across the border a few years ago. Since the initial skirmishes the Iranians have ratcheted up their involvement and support to the Yemenis as part of their geopolitical moves against the Saudis. This is far from the simple conflict depicted by our press.

EAP

[TEEEJ]

Some of the protesters even manage to get the hammers returned to them!

After the trial they were handed back the tools they used to attack the plane, which will presumably be used again for exactly the same purpose at some point in the future. Two of the hammers used at Shannon were also used to take out the B52 in 1991, but Ciaron noted that "they have such respect for private property that they keep giving us this stuff back”.

After the B52, one hammer was sent to England to destroy equipment at British Aerospace that was being used in east Timor and Northern Ireland. The hammers were then given to four women who disabled a Hawk fighter plane worth £2 million, passed on to a priest who used them to disable the nuclear convoy vehicle designed to carry warheads to Faslane naval base, then reunited with Ciaron after almost a decade and used in the Shannon sabotage.

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/ciaron-oreilly-has-destroyed-more

[jindabyne]

This is far from the simple conflict depicted by our press.

--- and the likes of Hangarshuffle.

[Hangarshuffle]

Simple enough if your a Yemeni civilian kid and a UK helped bomb drops on your head.

[Thaihawk]

Hangarshuffle,

If you are stupid enough to enter a clearly prohibited area ignoring posted warnings, IMHO you put yourself in the line of fire. Lethal force should be an option and snowflake idiots like you give encouragement to this kind of activity.

[Jabba_TG12]

"Simple enough if your a Yemeni civilian kid and a UK helped bomb drops on your head."

Oh for crying out loud...... You cant seriously be that naive? :ugh::hmm:

[jindabyne]

That he is Jabba - demonstrably so, frequently.

[MACH2NUMBER]

Actually, we are the idiots for letting them get away with criminal damage. Meanwhile the Beeb promotes and rejoices.

[Hangarshuffle]

Sorry Jinda and Jabba (good double act name) I'm not that naïve, merely interested and very concerned in our countries involvement and direction within the Yemen.
I worked relatively nearby once, and I like the people of the region and more.
Worries me deeply about the loss of innocent civilian life there. There is British industrial military governmental involvement with this - its simply undeniable (and has been proven).
That RAF officers are lurking in the background of the Saudi command rooms, assisting in the air operation, and more..its pretty abhorrent.
Well I find it abhorrent anyway.
Naïve.....
Thai mate..in the UK you can only (if you are authorised to actually carry a weapon that is) open fire with that weapon if your own life or others is in immediate danger of death or injury by that lethal weapon or similar force. (That's how my little brain remembers it in times of stress anyway).
Private guards, UK police or military cant open fire and kill people if property is about to be damaged and upset their boss (especially in a factory).
I'm trying to break this gently to you.

[Hangarshuffle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKV8Yk2Ubt8
Scary former UK minister talking about how he sees things in the region, on C4 news.

Although out of courtesy to Jibba and Jabba above, if the RAF officers are in the CC room trying hard to discourage Saudi forces from blowing Yemeni people up with our western manufactured bombs via our western manufactured aircraft, they deserve at least some credit. (And get it documented if you are).

I could go on but I cant be ****** to. Everyone's got a position on the Yemen. Some peoples position is slavishly backing their former services current serving officers in their field posts, come what happens to others.
Others peoples position is selling and making arms for money to sell to Arabia to madly use as it sees it.
My naïve position is simply dare to report and comment on this, and think that that's wrong.
HS

[EAP86]

Possibly off topic by now :-) but I heard today that the two alleged trespassers were spotted on CCTV and didn't even have the chance to get into any buildings.

EAP