Issue No. 8 - Dec 1998
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,
As we write this newsletter the UNSCOM inspection teams have started work again in Iraq. Once more Britain supported the American bombing plans. The Labour government stepped smartly in behind the US with no debate in Parliament.
The news that Britain, under a Labour government has bought and tested 65 American Tomahawk Cruise missiles for nearly $200 million, in all conscience cannot be justified. The human suffering in Nicaragua, Honduras and Sudan makes this deal particularly offensive and impossible to justify.
This ties us even more closely into the US military system. Are we now in a position where we have the capability to use American Cruise missiles, bought by the British government in an American-led confrontation simply because America requires us to? As we said in CAAB 7 it really is time that we start to question this 'special relationship'.
Planning Applications
… Work started some weeks ago on the proposed 6-lane athletic track but was quickly abandoned due to an above average rainfall.
The sports-field was for a time an absolute quagmire. A lake formed. An attempt was made to drain it but it was totally ineffective for a while. How interesting nature is!
In the meantime the Americans continue to jog around the base (inside and outside) as they have always done, unhindered by the lack of a purpose built track.
Continuing Byelaws Saga
Permanent Injunction
More Court News
Big Brother Awards Ceremony
The event, held at the London School of Economics was the first of its kind in the world and took place on the 50th anniversary of the writing of George Orwell's book '1984'.
This event will be staged every year and Privacy International is also planning to extend the award throughout Europe, Asia and North America.
Anni and Lindis were invited.
Three 'Big Brother' awards were presented and the 'Big Brother Lifetime Achievement' award was given to ... NSA/Menwith Hill spy base!
'Winston' awards were also given to individuals and organisations which have made an outstanding contribution to the protection of privacy, as well as to people who have been victims of privacy invasion.
The 'Winston Lifetime Achievement' award was given to Lindis.
The awards were judged by a panel of experts including journalists, lawyers, academics, consultants
and civil rights activists and presented by Mark Thomas (satirist and the Mark Thomas Comedy Product).
The evening was the culmination of a brilliant idea and was eight years in the making - thank you to Simon Davies for his inspiration and hard work.
It was a lovely evening.
Parliamentary Questions
Q: Mr Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) American military personnel, (b) American civilian personnel, (c) GCHQ personnel and (d) RAF military personnel are present at Menwith Hill Station?
A: Mr Doug Henderson: As at 9 October 1998, at RAF Menwith Hill there were 435 US military personnel, 935 US civilian personnel and 416 RAF and Ministry of Defence personnel [this is highly misleading information and we will be asking more questions]. I am withholding the numbers of operationally deployed GCHQ staff under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Q: Mr Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the name and rank of the officer in charge at Menwith Hill Station?
A: Mr Doug Henderson: Squadron Leader Ted Sumner is the Senior RAF officer [he is a liason officer who advises the Americans on host nation protocol] at the site while the US base commander is Colonel Joseph Brand of the United States Army.
Q: Mr Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the two radomes which are to be part of the space-based infra red system will be constructed?
A: Mr Doug Henderson: Construction of the two radomes at RAF Menwith Hill is due to begin in November 1999 and is scheduled for completion in February 2000. The radomes will support the new US Space Based Infra-Red System, providing early warning of ballistic missile launches.
Gulf crisis protest:
On the second evening we drove up to the entrance barrier with posters on the car windows stating 'DON'T BOMB IRAQ - WAR IS NO SOLUTION'. We were again reported for 'a byelaws offence' and Lindis was again reported for breach of the injunction. We stayed there for about three quarters of an hour.
It became increasingly clear that a plan was being hatched and indeed it was!
A police escort with blue flashing lights proceeded the arrival of a large yellow JCB.
The in-coming traffic had been redirected by the Ministry of Defence Police into the base via the exit side.
Having been ignored for sometime suddenly the car was to be hooked up to the JCB without us having any opportunity to leave.
After some frantic negotiations we were given one minute to go ... the whole scene was videoed by the MDP.
It seemed such a small action to take in the face of impending violence but we felt we had to do something. The Americans coming in and out of the base could not have failed to be aware of some opposition to the American and British government's unlawful intentions.
Close Up North
(See article by Duncan Campbell in the Guardian and Yorkshire CND News)
Snippet
OUR TEAM; We are members of many teams.
We are members of a world wide cryptologic community; members of the Joint/Combined Operational Community of Menwith Hill Station; guests in the United Kingdom; Sailors of the US Navy and of the Navy Cryptologic Community.
We are Sailors of NSGA Menwith Hill.
OUR MISSION; Our mission is to support the war fighter in military operations and to support our Nation's policy-makers.
We have a direct and important impact on the decisions, the success and sometimes the lives of our customers and leaders.
OUR FUTURE; NSGA Menwith Hill has an outstanding reputation for operational excellence, professional Sailors and E sprit de Corps.
Together we will continue to improve on these successes.
(Signed J A Frost Capt USN)
... "We have to be forward deployed, and we have to be diplomatically engaged ... helping shape and influence events so that they really work to our benefit."
Advance Notice
The next bi-monthly Meeting for Worship at Menwith will take place at 2pm in its usual position on the grass verge outside the main entrance of Menwith Hill Station, the American National Security Agency Spy Base, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
This will be the 34th Meeting and Ffriends are welcome to join in an hour of Quaker Worship followed by hot drinks, nibbles and an update on the base.
Bring something to sit on and wear warm, waterproof clothing as the weather can be rather a challenge at times!
Contact Anni or Lindis for more details.
Noise Pollution
In CAAB 7 newsletter we mentioned the noise of F-15 jets from USAF Lakenheath flying over the class rooms at Breckland Middle School in Brandon. This person asked how long the school in Brandon had been in it's present location and said that they 'highly doubted' that the US Air Force would intentionally fly over a school causing interruptions.
To back this up they gave us details of the history of the 48th Fighter Wing at USAF Lakenheath:
Jan 15 1960: 48th Fighter Wing moves to RAF Lakenheath UK
Anni rang Breckland School and found out that it was opened in 1960 ... so it would seem that the USAF did intentionally fly over the classrooms and have continued to do so ever since. We asked the Association of American Forces in England e-mailer if they could help the school in the struggle to obtain a grant to sound proof the windows because of the noise ... we have had nothing from them since then.
Citizens' Inspection
A letter had been sent to the American Commanding Officer - Colonel Van Pelt requesting a meeting with him and outlining the group's concerns - namely that the existence of nuclear weapons posed a serious threat to local, national and international security. The Commanding Officer refused to meet or to send a representative out to speak to them.
The team and their supporters blockaded the main gate with a large banner stating that they were 'PREVENTING NUCLEAR CRIME' and others calling to 'ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS BY 2000'.
There was more traffic than usual due to a charity bazaar being held on the base.
Some of the group with banners walked the public footpath which goes through the base.
A previous inspection was attempted in May and the Commanding Officer has been reminded that both formal and unannounced inspections will continue.
(Thanks to Peter Lanyon Suffolk CND/Abolition 2000 for this information).
... From June 1994 to August 1996 Colonel Carl E Van Pelt held the position of Chief, Procedures Branch, Joint Staff, J-3 Nuclear Operations Division, at the Pentagon, Washington DC.
In February 1998 he became the Commander of 48th Fighter Wing at USAF Lakenheath.
Construction
Complaints Review Board (CRB) Saga
Anni wrote to clarify her complaints as requested by the new Administrator to the CRB - Technical Sergeant Sharon Holloman ... no reply ... wrote again…...no reply……rang…….told that the CRB had finished their investigations and that there was 'a package' which was waiting to the sent to the RAF Liason Officer.
WHAT ABOUT THIS?! ... Not only does USAF Lakenheath store nuclear weapons ... the 48th Liberty Wing (that's what they are called) now have been selected as the US Air Forces in Europe nominee for the 1999 Commander-in-Chief's installation excellence award.
The base will now represent the command at the Air Force - level competition.
... The 48th Fighter Wing also received a nomination for a special recognition award for it's housing initiative to lease 519 new homes in the local community (see CAAB 6 ). They were built by the Ministry of Defence ... leased to the Americans ... but the base may get the award!
(See also Issue 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9).
Security Fence
(See also Issue 9)
The 422nd Communications and Information Flight was given the 1998 DOD Maintenance Effectiveness Award on 20 October at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas. This award recognises the C and I Flight as providing the most significant weapons system and equipment maintenance achievements within the DOD during the past fiscal year.
Apparently they are the "best in the DOD".
They received this award "for delivering outstanding global reach communications to the National Command Authorities, DOD and NATO."
"Their efforts resulted in the theater's first initiation of the Scope Command Automated High Frequency Radio System and accelerated the heavy earth satellite terminal up-grade by one year, doubling the capacity to connect war fighters to the Defense Information Infrastructure and saving the government $2.8 million."
High Court Injunction
(See also Issue 5 and Issue 6).
Heritage walk
(See also Issue 7.
Six American B-52 bombers landed at the base on the morning of 11 October 1998 'ready and able' to take part in expected NATO strikes against Kosovo.
Fairford's airfield was fully operational and the aircraft were standing by ready to perform their mission 72 hours after being notified that the mission was a 'go'.
Many of Fairford's facilities are in 'mothball status' and are only used for contingencies and exercises.
"These type of contingencies are exactly what we're here for" said Master Sgt. Bill Lawson, chief of plans and programs flight (Marauder - 23 October 1998).
Lindis was the lone voice of protest among a crowd of plane spotters as the bombers landed.
She walked quietly backwards and forwards holding a placard which said 'B-52's - Military Action - NOT IN MY NAME' for the two hours that it took the planes to land.
After the planes had landed Lindis climbed into the base with her placard and quietly walked up to them.
Underneath one of the huge B-52's she gently talked to one of the maintenance crew.
Two of the crew who had just flown the planes over from America came and joined them.
She talked to them about the fact that they had just left their families in order to go and bomb other families far away in Kosovo.
American security police eventually arrived and walked with Lindis until the MDP came and arrested her under instructions for suspicion of Aggravated Trespass. She was held for 8 hours and charged under section 68 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
She has bail conditions not to enter within 2 miles of the perimeter of USAF Fairford.
Lindis pleaded Not Guilty by post and the next hearing is on 8 December at Cirencester Magistrates' Court for listing for trial.
There are 7 American witnesses including 2 of the B-52 bomber crew.
(See Issue 9).
No further planning applications have been received by Harrogate Planning Department since July at the time of writing.
The latest date for the CPS Appeal against Judge Crabtree's ruling that the Menwith byelaws are invalid has been listed for Wednesday 15th January 1999.
This supercedes the hearing which had been fixed for Tuesday 10th November 1998.
As with the first challenge of the MHS byelaws in 1993 the MOD will have an 'amicus curiae' (a friend of the court).
The 'friend' is meant to be independent of the court ...
Lindis has continued to tape INVALID signs to the invalid byelaws notices and is sometimes arrested, then de-arrested under invalid byelaws and sometimes 'reported for being in breach of the High Court Order' by the MDP and is sometimes not.
Despite all these breaches it looks as if the 'motion to commit' Lindis to prison will not be heard until sometime in 1999.
The purpose of these actions has always been to bring to court the question of why invalid byelaw signs are still displayed.
In CAAB 7 we reported that the appeal of John Quinn (Ministry of Defence Police Sergeant) against conviction and sentence of common assault to Lindis was to be heard at the end of September.
This has now been re-listed to 11 December 1998 at York Crown Court.
(see CAAB 10)
On Monday 26 October 1998 Privacy International presented the first annual 'Big Brother' awards to the Government and private sector organisations that had done the most to invade personal privacy in Britain.
Answers to suggested questions we asked Norman Baker MP Lewes - (Lib Dem) to table:
The base was leafleted several times in response to the growing Iraqi crisis.
On the evenings of 12 and 13 November Anni and Lindis blockaded the entrance to the Main Gate and quietly witnessed.
We were reported for 'a byelaws offence' and Lindis was reported for breach of the injunction.
We continued to witness and left after an hour.
We were instrumental in helping the BBC to decide to make a film about Menwith.
We supplied lots of names and information and it will be shown on BBC1 in early December.
"What is important at NSGA Menwith Hill?"
(US Naval Security Group Activities)
(William S Cohen - US Secretary of Defense)
Saturday 5th December:
Quaker Meeting for Worship:
LAKENHEATH
(near Brandon, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk)
We sometimes get e-mails (some rather strange!) from round the world and one came in recently from a representative of the Association of American Forces in England.
Jan 7 1972: First - 4D Phantom II joins wing (to begin replacing the wing's F - 100 fleet)
March 1 1977: F-111F's join the wing; 48th is the first USAFE wing equipped with F-111F's.
February 1992: F-15E's join wing.
December 1992: The last F-111F leaves RAF Lakenheath for reassignment to Cannon Air Force Base N.M.
January 1994: F-15C's join wing.
[However no mention of when nuclear weapons arrived at USAF Lakenheath!]
On Saturday 3rd October 1998 a second Citizens' Inspection Team called to inspect the nuclear weapons which are stored at USAF Lakenheath.
A USAF News report in early 1997 stated that over £15 million was to be spent on building work at USAF Lakenheath including:
After nearly four years of struggle to get complaints of assault, unlawful arrest and trespass to property investigated Lindis and Juliet are still waiting for the outcome of the CRB report. It has been sent to the RAF Liason Officer and to the Ministry of Defence.
MILDENHALL
(near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk)
The Americans are finally planning to fence in the unsecured side of the base.
The 'cantonement' side of the base is to be completely fenced on the northern and eastern side. Funds have been requested from the United States Air Force in Europe for fencing the southern side and will be started as soon as the money is forthcoming.
All American bases have become increasingly vulnerable since the recent US actions and 'force protection' is being taught to American personnel and their families.
CROUGHTON
(near Bicester, Northants)
ALCONBURY
(Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)
After much to-ing and fro-ing a date has been fixed for the hearing in the High Court to turn the temporary injunction against Lindis into a permanent order.
The date is listed for the 16 December.
Despite Lindis letting the Treasury Solicitor know that this date is not convenient the hearing will go ahead in her absence.
CHICKSANDS
(near Bedford, Bedfordshire)
Apparently the Americans who served at this base can go unhindered and look round the Priory - unlike peaceful protestors.
The family of an American who once worked on the base and has recently died has been given special permission to scatter his ashes inside the base.
FAIRFORD
(near Cirencester, Gloucester)
Updated December 1998