Kathy Kelly to Testify at Ploughshares Trial

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | news report Tuesday July 18, 2006 01:01 by Ploughshares Support - Ploughshares Support

Renowned peace activist brings truth to the courtroom

Kathy Kelly is a person of profound integrity, who knows how to walk the walk. She will testify at the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares tomorrow in the Four Courts. In a climate in which the issue of Iraq and the use of Shannon has been put on the back burner for many, Kathy Kelly is there to remind us of what things are like on the ground for the ordinary people of Iraq as they continue to struggle with the ongoing daily realities of depleted uranium effects and ever escalating violence. Kathy has been a loyal and consistent supporter of the five on trial, having travelled to each of their trials and remained consistent in her support throughout the three-and-a-half years of legal proceedings.

Kathy Kelly

Renowned activist, writer and co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, Kathy Kelly, will give evidence tomorrow, Tuesday, July 18th in the trial of the Pitstop Ploughshares, who were arrested at Shannon Airport for disabling a US military plane in February, 2003. Her evidence will begin at 10.30 in court 23 at the Four Courts, Dublin.

Acting from a deep faith-based conviction, Kathy has travelled to Iraq 21 times in open violation of the UN/US economic sanctions to bring medicine and supplies to vulnerable Iraqi civilians. She is the author of 'Other Lands have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison' and has been received numerous peace awards and honours.

Kathy has travelled to Dublin for each of the three trial attempts that have taken place following the action taken by the five activists, known as the Pitstop Ploughshares. She testified at their second trial in October of 2005, before the trial senationally collapsed when it was revealed that Judge Donagh McDonagh had strong connections with President of the United States, George W. Bush through controversial Republican politician Tom DeLay, and had failed to declare this interest at the outset of the trial.

Kathy is likely to be the final witness to testify at this trial. There will be legal submissions after her testimony, and the trial is likely to finish in the afternoon.

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