Before dawn on December 19, the fourth Sunday of Advent, four people discretely entered the Warfield Air National Guard Base in Essex, Maryland. Calling themselves the Plowshares vs. Depleted Uranium, Philip Berrigan, Susan Crane, Rev. Steve Kelly S.J., and Elizabeth Walz quickly went to work disarming two A-10 anti-tank aircraft - the infamous "Warthog."

Berrigan and Walz worked together to disarm one plane, hammering on the Gatling gun in the nose of the plane that fires radioactive depleted uranium bullets. They also struck pylons under the wings, and poured their blood into the engine of the plane. Meanwhile, Kelly and Crane did similar transformation to a second plane and, in addition, Kelly climbed onto a wing, peeled back the vinyl cover and poured his blood into one of the engines. They hung their banner: PLOWSHARES VS. DEPLETED URANIUM on the site.

Federal Air Police were soon on the scene and ordered the four to stop. Quickly impatient with the dedicated laborers, police pepper-sprayed Kelly and tackled Crane to the ground to stop their peace-smithing. The four were arrested and jailed.

Berrigan and Crane reside at Jonah House, a Christian resistance community in Baltimore. Walz is a member of the Philadelphia Catholic Worker community. Kelly, "underground" since his parole last summer, will likely face a probation violation hearing for refusing to pay a fine for the Prince of Peace Plowshares action he took with Berrigan, Crane, and others in 1997.

The Plowshares activists were tried in Baltimore County Circuit Court from March 20 - 23. When the judge refused to allow them to discuss depleted uranium, international law, and there reasons of acting, the four decided to engage in acts of courtroom resistance.

Crane then read a statement asserting: "We cannot put on a defense about the dangers of depleted uranium.. . ." The judge ordered her to stop, but she continued reading: "We will not participate in what amounts to a legal gag order." Berrigan, Walz, Crane and Kelly then turned their backs on the judge and Kelly began read a from the Book of Jeremiah. All were found guilty and sentenced to state prison -- Walz for 18 months, Crane and Kelly for 27 months, and Berrigan for 30 months.

Letters of support can be sent
c/o Jonah House
1301 Moreland Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21216
disarmnow@erols.com

This report, with some changes and additions, is reprinted from The Nuclear Resister, which provides in-depth coverage of resistance against war and nuclear weapons and power.

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