More hide and seek at Shannon.

Wednesday March 12, 2003 13:47

by Tim Hourigan - Refuelling Peace

New airlines in, Gardai pretend not to notice.

I'm getting less computer time these days. Don't take the lack of reports as lack of planespotting. We're still out there, cos THEY'RE still out there.

In the past few weeks I've been stopped loads of times and searched TWICE while obviously NOT on airport property and not heading towards the airport.

I won't go into all of them. You'll have to wait for the book or the motion picture.

So anyhow, just two examples for you.

Myself and Graham went to the airport to keep an eye on the illegal activity (the cops don't want to do it)

We were there quite a while, in the industrial estate watching the airfield for flights.

besides the usual ATAs we notice that FedEx have started using the airport on a regular basis.

FedEx have hundreds of aircraft and a huge delivery business, but they don't usually come to Shannon.

stranger still, they parked their CARGO plane at the PASSENGER terminal.

This happened night after night with no sign of cargo being unloaded or unloaded.

I'm sure this has nothing to do with a recent call up of aircraft from the Pentagon Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF)

FedEx has 28 of the 212 commercial planes committed to Stage Two of CRAF, which was enlisted on a voluntary basis during the Gulf War, and 111 of the 684 planes in Stage Three, which would be activated only during a major global war.

FedEx flew 576 flights in support of the military during the Gulf War, carrying a third of all the cargo hauled by commercial airlines.

Originally it was thought FedEx might not see a lot of use, but perhaps the FedEx Md-11s are replacing the WORLD MD-11 aircraft no longer using Shannon.

Anyhow, we saw this and then started to walk home.

as we were walking back through the industrial estate a big silver UNMARKED 4 wheel drive came out of the airport at first it drove past us, then turned and sped up and screeched to a halt.

a Garda with a ski-mask/ hood jumped out and told us to stop walking. There was an Airport Police dude with him. Neither of them gave their name.
The garda displayed no numbers, but I subsequently saw him at Ennis garda Station
(CL 293)
The Garda removed his mask and demanded our names.
Graham and I were well used to this routine so it was no sking off our noses.
politely we gave our names.
Then our passports.
CL 293 asked where I was from.
I said I was from Limerick.
"Limerick is a big place" he grunted.
"Well I'm from Kennedy Park originally but I'm living in Shannon now if that's what you're asking"
"Don't get smart now. I asked you where you are FROM"
I'm not getting smart, I am from Limerick, and I live at 19 Inis Ealga."
he was thick like this for ages, just trying to assert himself. he could do with a conflict resolution course. recent trials of this in some Garda divisions have seen a 25% drop in complaints against Gardai.
next thing APO inspector Lynch pulls up in the AP 10 squad car (by the way we are DEFINITELY NOT in the airport)
then a Garda calling himself only Michael arrives in a van. Mike is normally stationed in Galway.
He asks for my ID. I tell him that his colleague has it.
After a search and more grunting from CL 293 we get to walk home. 20 minutes standing in the cold and listening to Mike say that he doesn't agree that the flights are illegal.

Last week, thursday night going into Friday.
wer had more company, Mayo Gardai and locals.

We saw ATA, FedEx and an antonov 22 working for the military.

So don't think they've gone away.

Ukrainian airliner hauls personnel, equipment from Fort Sill
Daily Oklahoman, OK - 15 Feb 2003
... The Antonov An-124-100 made by Ruslan is the second-largest cargo airplane in the
world, Fort Sill representative Nancy Elliott said. The An-225 made by the ...

http://www.newsok.com/cgi-bin/show_article?ID=987392&pic=none&TP=getarticle

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Comments (15 of 15)

Well done Tim

by John

Wed Mar 12, 2003 13:56

Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the report Tim

by Andrew

Any idea of what sort of cargo these planes carry. IE does the US army have a policy of only shipping foodstuffs or other non-lethal war support material on board commercial planes? If no such policy exists then we can assume they also carry munitions, it would be useful to have any concrete information on this though.

Well Done Tim

by Pat C

Wed Mar 12, 2003 13:59

I gues theres not much chance of these Airport Police taking strike action.

Are the Hercules C130 still landing

by Joe

Wed Mar 12, 2003 14:10

If so worth pointing out that they are the delivery vehicle for the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), "the largest non-nuclear conventional weapon in existence"

Tim

by pat c

Wed Mar 12, 2003 14:35

I think its worthwhile complaining about this harassment. To the Garda Complaints Tribunal about the Gardai and to Aer Riante about the AP.

You could also complain to SIPTU about the AP, they are members of SIPTU.

At least your complaints will cause some hassle for the hasslers.

Especially the Templemore rejects in the Airport Police.

No Way

by ccc

Wed Mar 12, 2003 15:59

But Pat these poor unfortunate Police might lose their jobs.That would be a terrible pity.

Airport Police Are Workers Too

by Ken McDonnell - SP

Wed Mar 12, 2003 16:52

Dundrum

This is yet another outrageous attack on trade union members. This abuse by Pat C is unwarranted. But also the continual harrassment that is caused to the workers by the actions of middle class dropouts makes it more difficult to win over the workers to strke action.

Poor Workers

by TPT

Wed Mar 12, 2003 17:09

What a load of tripe.I suggest we call off the antiwar movement because this is interfering with the poor american soldiers who are just trying to do their jobs.If the Police/Airport Police continue acting against the will of the people by protecting U.S. military aircraft they can't expect any respect from them either.As for the poor Donegal Gardai,I suppose we shouldn't give out about them either.

Is that really the SP line????

by Chekov

Or is Ken impersonating?

I had assumed that there was some hint of exaggeration in Pat C et al's attacks on the SP, but maybe not?

It's the middle class dropout (sounds a bit like McDowell) protestors who are preventing the airport cops from going on strike?????

I used to always assume that the SP were fundamentally more reasonable than the SWP and at least tried to make their political line somewhat convincing to the non-brainwashed, but apparently not - this line makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, it's not even internally consistent.

ideas for shannon placards

by stray cork anarchist

Wed Mar 12, 2003 18:03

calcutta, west bengal, bharat

these are some ideas for placards forwarded to me by a friend - they appeared recently at a big protest in washington d.c. but i think they'd work just as well on irish placards - enjoy, and keep up the good work tim ;)

Bush does for Christianity what Bin Laden does for Islam
> > >War Is A Dick Thing, Peace Is A Heart Thing
> > >Draft The Bush Twins
> > >Don't Mess With Mesopotamia
> > >War Is SO 20th Century
> > >When Bush Comes To Shove
> > >Brains Not Bombs
> > >Goddess Bless the Whole Wide World
> > >Dubya: Weapon Of Mass Distraction
> > >Beat The Bushes For Peace
> > >Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Look Under The Bushes
> > >Drop Bush, Not Bombs
> > >Bombing For Peace Is Like Fucking For Virginity
> > >Evolve! Work For A Non-violent Future
> > >If War Is The Answer, We're Asking The Wrong Question
> > >Killing Innocent People Is The Problem, Not The Solution
> > >Save America, Spare Iraq, God Make Texas Take Him Back
> > >Small Print For Peace (on a teensy card held aloft on a stick like any
> > >large sign)
> > >Drop Names, Not Bombs
> > >Who Would Jesus Bomb?
> > >Stop Mad Cowboy Disease
> > >George Bush Couldn't Run A Laundromat
> > >There Is No Path To Peace - Peace IS The Path
> > >Justice Or Just Us?
> > >Tame The Tyrant In The Mirror, Then The One In Iraq
> > >Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld: Axis Of Weasel
> > >Go Solar, Not Ballistic
> > >Nonviolence, Not Nonexistence
> > >A Village In Texas is Missing Its Idiot
> > >How Many Lives Per Gallon?
> > >How Did Our Oil Get Under Their Soil?
> > >Out Beyond Ideas Of Right Doing And Wrong Doing
> > >There Is A Field. I Will Meet You There. - Rumi
> > >Regime Change Begins At Home
> > >No Oilgarchy (Oilgarchy in circle with slash across it)
> > >God Does Not Bless Only America
> > >Rich Man's War Poor Man's Blood
> > >Has Anyone Seen Our Constitution Lately?
> > >What If God Blesses Iraq?
> > >Born To Kill, Born To Drill
> > >Let's Try Preemptive Peace
> > >Our Grief Is Not A Cry For War
> > >Books Not Bombs
> > >If You Are Not Outraged You Are Not Paying Attention
> > >Bush Is A Moron Don't Let Him Get His War On
> > >Honk If You're A Terrorist
> > >Smart Bombs Don't Justify Dumb Leaders
> > >We Have Guided Missiles And Misguided Men
> > >Who's The Unelected Tyrant With The Bomb?
> > >Peaceful Solution Not Daddy's Retribution
> > >All Humanity Is Downwind
> > >My President Is A Psychopath
> > >Relax, George
> > >
> > >....excitement.....adventure? A Jedi craves not these things.....

I still prefer 'Neutral My Arse'

by JimBob

Wed Mar 12, 2003 18:12

FedEx

by Mark - UL Student

Wed Mar 12, 2003 18:19

I'd like to point out that FedEx have used Shannon as an Irish base for many years now, and this is not a new thing as asserted by Mr Hourigan...

cool to see you back Tim!

by ipsiphi / iosaf

Wed Mar 12, 2003 18:38

:-)
and i find the slight hint at Antonov which seems to be a forgotten apendage to the article most interesting.
At the moment this really big cargo craft is much in conspiracy theory out east.
why do they keep crashing with loads of valuable staff and passengers on board?

Re: Mark. FedEx's Irish Base

by Tim

Wed Mar 12, 2003 20:26

FedEx
by Mark - UL Student Wed, Mar 12 2003, 5:19pm

I'd like to point out that FedEx have used Shannon as an Irish base for many years now, and this is not a new thing as asserted by Mr Hourigan...
------------------------------------
I've been watching the airport "Mark".

If FedEx have been frequently (not just 'regularly') using it then they've kept a very low profile.

Would 'Mark' like to point out how FedEx is using Shannon as an Irish base by avoiding the cargo terminal... or are they using it as a US-Irish base?

Would Mark like to comment on recent CRAF call-ups?

I think Fed Ex could do with some questioning.

AT LAST

by APP

Sat Mar 15, 2003 15:03

Its about time the gadraí and airport police stop the tree hugging wankers from spyng on an irish airort

PEACFUL PROTEST MY ARSE

since when are peacful protest mean breaking in to an airport attacking gardaí and airpoot police then vandalsing a aircraft

YOU WANKERS SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE TORRORISTS AT SOULD BE SHOT FRIST AND ASKED QUESTIONS LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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More hide and seek at Shannon.

Comments (15 of 15)