Issue No. 1 - November 1996
Produced by: Anni and Lindis
Indigo, 8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 IHQ, UK
Tel No. 01943 466405 or 01482 702033
Fax No. 01482 702033
E-mail: caab.lindis_anni@virgin.net
Dear Friends,
There has been rather a long gap since our last newsletter. However, we've got
it together at last - and here it is!
Planning Applications
Menwith Hill continues to expand at an alarming rate. Because of this we are monitoring the Harrogate Planning Office weekly. Planning applications since the end of June this year include:
a) Erection of 11.2 metre radome with access track
Referring- to (g) we wrote for details as to WHAT hazardous materials were to be stored. Dennis Harling (Planning Officer) agreed that this proposal was unacceptably vague and he asked for more information before the application was considered. We now have more details but are not satisfied and have asked for further information. It is intended that the full planning committee will hear this in public. It is clear that the P6 (see h) building is being slipped through. There is very little information about it.
We've got a pretty good idea where it will be, although it is not marked on the map accompanying the plans. It looks as if it could be as big as Steeplebush 2 (the huge operations building, at MHS). We've written to ask that the plan be withdrawn until the public are given more details.
Objections to the P6 building application (PANO. 6.90.163.A-CROWND) should be sent to:
Mr. C. F. Brown, Chief Planner, Harrogate Borough Counci1, Dept. of Technical Services, Knapping Mount, West Grove Road, Harrogate, HG1 2AE. (Letters of objections up to November 25th would still be accepted).
If more than 7 objections are received the application may go to the Area I Planning Sub-Committee which is open to the public. Objectors are now allowed to speak to the Committee for up to 3 minutes in total.
At the August public meeting at Pateley Bridge, when the 11.2meter radome application came up, Lindis specifically raised the question concerning the lack of democracy and also the visual impact on the area. The members then discussed the application for nearly an hour, instead of it going through on the usual nod. One member urged all the Committee to abstain and agreed that the democratic process was a "farce". Two members eventually abstained as well as the chairman which is unheard of. We continue to work with Councillors on the committee, as well as the chair.
It is so important to get these applications to a public forum. They will only get there if people write letters of objection. Please contact Anni (see address, tel. no. and email address on home page) if you want to be on a telephone tree so that we know, how many objections are being sent in.
Although the politics, role and function etc. are grounds enough to object, it may be helpful to know that the Planning Committee will only address their minds to strict planning matters i.e. visual amenities, infilling, effects of artificial lighting etc.
Court Action
A permanent injunction against Lindis, banning her for the rest of her life from the land called "RAF Menwith Hill" was finally granted to the Secretary of State for Defence and the MOD by Mr. Justice Levy in the High Court in London on October 3rd. She defended herself. The hearing was in Chambers despite an application for the case to be heard in open court.
We started off so positively six years ago with what was potentially an extremely interesting and significant case. The temporary injunction lasted for five years and enabled many things to happen and evolve; for four years the base was opened up, with no fear of arrests under the previous bye-laws and many people walked freely on the base. Important documents were gathered from the base which for the first time gave an insight into the operations of Menwith Hill. Also many pertinent and historical secret documents were disclosed in preparing for this important case.
However the case was finally gagged by Mr. Rifkind who issued a Public Interest Immunity Certificate two days before the case was due to be heard in the High Court, when points of law were to be argued. We had to concede the case.
The hearing on October 3rd made the temporary injunction permanent and underlined a period of struggle, pain and personal cost. Lindis intends to document the history of this sometime. (Permanent injunctions also at LAKENHEATH and MILDENHALL – more about this some other time!) In July, Lindis was held unlawfully in Low Newton Remand Centre - out on an application of Habeas Corpus.
The writ of Habeas Corpus case on October 8th was conceded by Mr. Howard the Secretary of State and the Governor of Low Newton two days before it was due to be heard in the High Court. Costs awarded against the Secretary of State. Compensation will be applied for through the County Court.
Parliament
We have been working on the renewal of the Menwith 'security of tenure' (there is no lease).
This should be renegotiated at the formal request of the US Army every 21 years.
The date for this is May 1997. Max Madden has asked many questions about this. Basically, the replies say tliat it is private, confidential and none of your business! We are waiting for answers to a range of questions; eg:
(See also articles in Issue 2 and Issue 6).
History of the Campaign of Protest at Menwith Hill Station
Christine Dean (Assistant Honorary Keeper of Otley Museum), who has been involved with the
MHS protest for many years and kept meticulous records, is chronologically cataloguing and
updating the files containing the archive material since the beginning of the campaign of
protest at MHS. It is important to document the work, to tell the story from the start and
to hand it on to future generations.
She has asked if anyone has any items such as news, press cuttings. leaflets, court actions,
which could be included in this history.
To save Chris time and expense please could photocopies rather than originals be sent to:
Christine Dean, 5 Garnett Street, Otley, West Yorkshire LS27 IAL.
Thank you.
As part of the US Space Surveillance Network,
RAF Feltwell hosts the US 5th Space Surveillance Squadron - which operates under the The US Space Command's 21st Space Wing.
Two new radomes are up and running at the 5th Space Surveillance Squadron (AFSPACECOM)/18th Intelligence Squadron - to you and us, NSA Feltwell!
The new radomes and buildings are built within the existing USAF Deep Space Tracking Systems (DSTS) compound, in connection with the American proposals for a Near Space Facility.
Max Madden is asking questions.
We have given this base attention for about six years.
There are no MDP present (they come from Lakenheath). A US General visited recently and was appalled at the level of security and the ease with which anyone could walk in. There is now a permanent American security presence at both gates. However, this has not made much difference to our visits!
Lindis gently lowered and removed the American flag at 'RAF Feltwell'. It was then folded up and left at the bottom of the flag pole ... ditto at 'RAF Lakenheath'.
Papers for an appeal by way of 'case stated' have now gone in to the High Court, London, regarding the Stipendary Magistrates' decision at Mildenhall Magistrates' Court (20th August). He accepted the Certificate of Immunity from prosecution put in by two American personnel under the Visiting Forces Act.
This involves a private prosecution taken out by Lindis after she was assaulted by them outside USAF Mildenhall in August 1995. She was handcuffed, dragged into the base and forced into an American 'police' car where she was held in a neck lock until the civil police arrived. If not successful in the High Court, we hope to take it to Strasbourg as it contravenes article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
A video of the incident taken by the Americans and obtained through another court, case is due to be shown in the House of Commons by Max Madden on November 13th. Lawyers will be present to talk about the Visiting Forces Act, RAF Liaison officer Wing Commander Parker has been invited as well as Mr. Portillo's department, senior members of MDP and Police and journalists. (On Monday 11th November, Lindis was informed that her appeal which had only just gone onto the 'warned list' was due to be heard two days later – Wednesday 13th November. Was it really just a coincidence that the appeal was to be rushed through before the video of the Mildenhall violence was due to be shown at Westminster later that day? [See article in the Observer, Sunday 17th November, and we will say more in our next issue]).
The Americans handed this base back to the MOD in September last year. It is in the process of becoming the British National Intelligence Centre. The 'Elephant Cage' has been taken down. Armed MDP patrol the base with private security guards. We are reliably informed that the Americans from Chicksands are now at Molesworth and Mildenhall.
Lindis warned wider section 69 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act not to enter within 3 months. A similar warning given to Anni and Lindis at John and Norma's garden gate on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Day - soon to be spent! (the Majors live very near to the base).
Home of the USAF's 603rd Communications Squadron. An alleged offence under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act in July against Lindis is not being pursued. No apparent expansion at this base.
This base is humming and expanding.
We discovered that it was the Joint (American Forces) Analysis centre several years ago. Very recently, a document which came into our possession revealed that the status of the base has changed again. On the 21st March 1996 the Theater Intelligence Training Facility (TITF) officially became the Regional Joint Intelligence Training Facility (RJITF).
It is the third of five such centres projected for the Department of Defense (DOD) to train intelligence professionals for joint assiguments. "The RJITF has established itself as the source of responsive and comprehensive instruction in intelligence systems training in the European theater."
An eye is being kept on this base!
MENWITH HILL
(near Harrogate, North Yorkshire)
A History of the Planning Applications from 1975 can be found in the Harrogate Borough Council Development Service Application Progress Sheet.
b) Erection of additional water storage tank and plant room
c) Erection of pole mounted lighting to carpark
d) Erection of 19 metre chimney stack and 50.000 litre oil tank
e) Erection of all-weather enclosure for American Forces Network antennas
f) Erection of 100ft. antenna tower on rotating base topped with 60 ft wide antenna
g) Erection of 2 x3 compartment hazardous storage buildings
h) Construction of building P6 in operational compound to improve operational facilities.
FELTWELL
(near Thetford, Norfolk)
MILDENHALL
(near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk)
CHICKSANDS
(Bedfordshire)
ALCONBURY
(Cambridgeshire)
CROUGHTON
(Northants)
MOLESWORTH
(near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)
Updated July 1998