Arrest BUSH, and demo at Shannon this weekend

by : ) Tue Apr 01, 2008 17:14

For those of you who missed it, the Liveline programme started with people from West Limerick, and Shannon Town ringing in about an incident that took place last Friday, involving a cargo aircraft operated by Murray Air Cargo. The aircraft, a Mc Donnell Douglas DC8 was flying from McChord Air Force Base (home of Combat Airlift), stopping at Gander in Newfoundland, refuelling at Shannon and scheduled to stop at Cologne, Germany before heading to Qatar.
Apparently, the aircraft suffered a flameout, in one of its four engines, descibed by callers as a streak of flame trailing from the plane. There has been some concern that the plane dumped fuel over the town of Askeaton in county Limerick before landing. This has been denied by Murray Air spokeswoman, Tracey Bell.
If it was fully laden with fuel, then it would have been a bad idea not to dump fuel over the Atlantic to reduce the weight for landing,
According to local media reports, the crew did contact Air Traffic Control and did state they were dumping fuel. It should be noted that before Ms/Mrs Bell came on air, a retired Dublin Airport ground crew member said that standard procedure would be to dump fuel to get the weight down, and that it was illegal to dump fuel over residential areas. The incident is under investigation by the US National Transport Safety Bureau and Ireland's Air Accident Investigation Unit.
The dumping of the fuel, however doesn't appear to be an issue of national importance, especially compared to what did come out of the interview.
The Murray Air spokeswoman, said she would nto disclose information about the flight or it's cargo, but under pressure from Ed, admitted that Murray Air does operate charters for the US military and does have a hazardous Materials license to carry explosives, weapons, including Depleted Uranium, though she adamantly denied that it was carrying weapons on this flight.
When asked if Murray Air had sought permission from the Irish Authorities to carry weapons through Ireland, the spokeswoman replied that "Murray Air is fully compliant with regulations". She gave a number of non-denial-denials and even contradicted herself when asked about brining weapons through Shannon in the past. First she said they never had, then she said they had, and then she said that she did not have this information. She eventually hung up on Joe Duffy.
The show should be available on the RTE website tomorrow.

It is also worth noting that this is not the first time that a flight coming from McChord Air Force Base has had trouble at Shannon.
In Dec 2005, a C-17 coming from McChord AFB en route to the Middle East, made an emergency landing at Shannon, causing the airport and industrial estate to be evacuated. RTE didn't report on it until 12 hours later, when they stated that the US embassy had "CONFIRMED" that the aircraft was only carry helium gas. They did not mention that the pilot had informed the authorities that he was carrying "Hazardous Material". see indy story http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73255

by Liveliner Tue Apr 01, 2008 17:34

it seems to be up already on the RTE website.

by etarkoo Tue Apr 01, 2008 18:19

Romania is already in NATO since March 2004. I would encourage you to do a wee bit of research before making uneducated statements. I might as well remind you that non-NATO members don't hold NATO summits - self explanatory really.

by yyzdub Wed Apr 02, 2008 13:21

After listening to Joe Duffy’s Liveline yesterday, I had to do some searching on who Edward Rogan is I was appalled and embarrassed by his conduct throughout the programme and his unsubstantiated arguments directed towards Murray Air.

I should begin however by saying that although discomfited with his behaviour during the discussion on air yesterday, I do agree with his and the Irish people’s concern of the U.S. government’s use of Ireland, which I believe to be purely exploitive. Further, the United States’ war on terrorism, I believe to be illegal and based on economics and financial gain to those at the highest echelons of American corporatocracy.

That said, the battle should not be taken towards a carrier and more specifically a spokeswoman by putting words in their mouths and turning and twisting any statement they make. The carrier operates within European (JAA), American (FAA), and International (ICAO) standards. They have every right to transport as they wish through any and all countries who give them such permission. They have no obligation to reveal the aircraft manifest nor do they need to disclose information about the aircraft to the general public. I hate to be the bearer of bad news to Joe Duffy and Edward Horgan, but I can assure you that there as much if not more hazardous and objectionable materials flying through Shannon, Dublin, and Cork on commercial aircraft than that necessarily coming through on cargo planes contracted by the US military.

I suppose I may come across as hypocritical in saying that I understand the concern of those living in close proximity to an airport that may or may not subject them to possible harm should there be, god forbid, an accident but at the same time, these companies operating are well within their rights. (I am not referring however to extradition flights). Like it or not though, Ireland is part of America’s illegal war but undoubtedly, either for political or economic reason, they are obliged to be so. (Oh, I can just hear the cursing now and again, I am on your side Reader, I don’t agree with it). The relationships between countries like Ireland and the United States run deeper, I am sure, than any of us can imagine. What do you think the repercussions would be if Ireland searched these aircraft or banned US government associated crafts from Irish airspace? I could make a fairly educated guess by saying they would turn disastrous. Canada and the United States is an example of two countries that share a very close relationship however, do a search and see the issues that arose when Canada refused to take part in Iraq and delayed on any troop deployment to Afghanistan – only succumbing to UN pressures.

A last thought… did anyone hear about the ferry that was taking depleted uranium last month across the Irish Sea on a barge that was not up to code nor with any security personnel? Or what about the numerous cargo aircraft flying US military and other government weapons under FedEx, DHL, or TNT – what about these carriers delivering materials to communist countries or receiving goods from places such as Saudi Arabia?

It’s a cyclical cycle that needs to be addressed but in future Mr. Horgan, please choose your battles wisely. You seem to be a charismatic man, I just wonder if your efforts are for your own namesake or those of the Irish people.

by Jimbob Wed Apr 02, 2008 14:07

I don't think he was too hard on her at all. It's not like he used "enhanced interrogation techniques" on the woman. I don't think Ms bell suffered any permanent damage as a result of the interview.
She clearly came on just to allay fears that her company had dropped a large amount of jet fuel on County Limerick around Askeaton and Pallaskenry. She wasn't expecting to be asked about weapons, and it seems Ed ruffled her feathers enough that she dropped her guard about that topic. Such is the purpose of a robust line of questioning.
Clearly he didn't get any admission about what was on this flight, but he got something much more valuable, an admission that they DO work for the military and that they DO have a license to carry weapons and munitions. She then reverted to 'neither confirm nor deny' corporate speak so as to protect the people of Ireland from knowing what type of things Murray Air may be carrying through Shannon on behalf of the Pentagon.
Had it not been for Ed, this would have been presented as a purely commercial cargo flight, going from the states to Germany, when in fact the aircraft was going to the Middle East, simply scheduled to stop in Shannon and Germany en route.
It was in the public interest to let them know the true destination of the flight, and the nature of Murray Air's contract with the US military.

As a result of yesterday's show, the Dept of Transport has released figures showing that on no less than 1,495 occasions last year the Minister granted permission for munitions or weapons to be landed here. That's an average of FOUR AIRCRAFT PER DAY.

These carriers are NOT operating within the law. They are complying with transport regulations perhaps, but they are aiding and abetting an illegal war, and therefore they have no right to carry such munitions for the US military, where it is used to continue an occupation against the will of the vast majority of Iraqis, and which has killed a great number of Iraqi people. Real people, not some abstract 'collateral damage'.

by skillage Thu Apr 03, 2008 22:33

It was great to hear this issue getting an airing on liveline, and the Irish Times picked it up the next day with a full article

Murray Air have had their contract with the US military on their website for ages now, so that wasn't a secret. Great exposure though.

by Local Yokel Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:13

One of the residents on Liveline organised 3 people, including Ed to come on the programme.

She did her research, asked searching questions, she lives on the flightpath and spends time discussing with interested neighbours what's really going on at Shannon. Don't write us off we do have brains and we can see and hear when silence is all pervasive.
She rang Ed and informed him of the incident. On liveline she moved the discussion along quickly to get into the military cargo issue of what was on the plane - Joe also gave her a hard time for "stepping out of line"

by anon Sat Apr 05, 2008 21:02

should there be one
http://www.aaiu.ie/aviation/aaiu/reportsevent/index.asp...=1280

by Seán Ryan Sat Apr 05, 2008 23:32

Strasbourg, 04.04.2008 – The Council of Europe’s rapporteur on secret detentions, Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) has strongly criticised what he called the “hypocrisy” of European governments in continuing to deny their involvement in secret detentions or illegal renditions, unlike the United States.

Speaking at a Brussels conference about reporting on torture, Mr Marty said: “The United States made a choice – which I think was a wrong choice – to fight the war on terror using illegal means, but they at least made it openly and defend it. European governments, on the other hand, have been entirely hypocritical since their complicity has been clandestine. Even now, they do not have the courage to declare their involvement, unless forced to do so.”

He criticised the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers – representing the 47 member states – which said it would only react “if necessary” to the revelations of secret detentions and illegal renditions, “as if all that has so far been revealed was not enough”.

“Governments must also stop hiding behind the hypocrisy of diplomatic assurances,” Mr Marty continued. “They are not worth the paper they are written on, and it is to be complicit in torture to accept them.”

“European governments are not merely involved in violating human rights, they are even in the process of trying to sabotage efforts to find out the truth,” he added. “In Italy, for example, the government has done all it can to obstruct the Milan trial of Abu Omar.”

Mr Marty said the work of investigation should continue: “We think there are other secret detentions in Europe that have not yet been revealed.”

The conference, organised by International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and the Federation Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), was also addressed by Carlos Coelho MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament's Temporary Committee on CIA illegal detentions, and Steven Everts, adviser to EU Foreign Policy Representative Javier Solana, as well as a number of journalists and academics dealing with how torture is reported."

by Sean Mon Apr 07, 2008 07:52

Last night RTE were reporting that George W. Bush's plane Airforce One had continued on its journey across the Atlantic without stopping off in Shannon, despite a huge security operation there involving 150 Irish soldiers, gardaí, members of the Aer Corps and US Secret Service personnel. (The latter were no doubt in charge of the operation).

by Lauren Thu Apr 24, 2008 20:06

I can take the point that residents near Shannon don't want hazardous materials being flown in and out of the airport, and indeed that we as a nation do not want to be taking part (no matter how small) in a war that we do not support. However, I don't believe that the anger and blame should be put on the American companies transporting the goods, nor even the U.S. government. The problem truly lies with our OWN government and how they are allowing U.S. planes to transport weapons through our country. It's not as if the U.S. is landing these planes without permission from the Irish goverment- it's that the Irish government is allowing the landings without the permission of the Irish people.