Five Cork anti-war activists will appear at Shannon District Court this morning on charges relating to a mass trespassing incident at Shannon Airport in October.
More than 100 people crossed the fence at the time to protest at the use of the airport by US troops. Ten people were arrested, and the other five have yet to appear in court.
Dr Fintan Lane, a historian and chairman of the Cork Anti-War Campaign, is one of the five activists due in court today. He said all five would be pleading not guilty on the basis that their actions were morally justified. It was "outrageous and morally reprehensible" that the Government was allowing US troops to use Shannon Airport.
"Our actions were taken in defence of those who will suffer and die when American bombs rain down on Iraq," Dr Lane said.
Last month, Mr Eoin Dubsky, from Gorey, Co Wexford, was fined €1,000 and given a six-month suspended jail sentence for painting anti-war slogans on a US airforce transport plane at the airport in September.
