Stroud Bomber Bashers Not Guilty

JUSTICE AT LAST: PEACE ACTIVISTS RIGHT TO TRY TO PREVENT BOMBERS GOING
TO IRAQ

JURY UNANIMOUSLY DECLARES B52 TWO 'NOT GUILTY'

A jury at Bristol Crown Court this afternoon declared Philip Pritchard
and Toby Olditch, the two Oxford peace activists (known at the 'B52
Two') not guilty. They had been accused of conspiring to cause criminal
damage at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on 18 March 2003 when they
tried to prevent B52 bombers from bombing Iraq. The bombing of Iraq
starts on 20 March 2003.

Stroud Mayor Kevin Cranston, Green party councillor and retired
Lieutenant Colonel, who provided written evidence for Philip Pritchard
and visited them while they were held on remand in Gloucester prison in
2003, said "This is brilliant news confirming the whole basis for this
war was illegal. The Court has shown they were entirely justified in
their brave actions to try and prevent an unprovoked war."

Kevin Cranston added: "The Green party was the only main party to
oppose this illegal, immoral and counterproductive war from the start.
Sadly our worst fears have materialised: many thousands killed, 3.7
million Iraqis refugees, a whole country's infrastructure destroyed,
Britain's reputation for fair play in tatters and rapid growth in
terrorism."