MEMBERS of the Defence Forces tasked to protect a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport drew their weapons briefly in response to an alleged “planned and premeditated” incursion by three pro-Palestinian activists, a court heard.
At Ennis District Court, Detective Garda Colm Moriarty told the court that a US military aircraft parked overnight at the airport allegedly sustained criminal damage when spray painted with green paint from a modified fire extinguisher on top of a modified van on the airfield at Shannon Airport last Saturday morning November 22).
At a contested bail hearing, the three accused, all aged 23 and with no previous convictions, Detective Garda Moriarty said that one of the three, Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra (23), of Manorlands Crescent, Trim, County Meath, replied after charge and caution at Ennis Garda Station that “the use of Shannon Airport by the US military breaks Irish neutrality. The US is a belligerent power complicit in the genocide of Palestinians.”
In the case, Mr Cantwell Strattra, Emily Cathcart (23), North View, Knocknagin Road, Balbriggan, County Dublin, and Conan Kavanagh (23), of New Cabra Road, Dublin 7 and St Joseph’s Drive, Montenotte, Cork, are charged with criminal damage of a US Navy Reserve Boeing 737-700 at Shannon Airport on November 22.
The three are also charged with the criminal damage of a Shannon Airport airside vehicle barrier and trespass on the same date.
Detective Garda Moriarty, of Shannon Garda Station, said it will be alleged that at around 9.30am on Saturday morning a Ford Transit van entered the apron at Shannon Airport, crashing through the exit barrier at speed.
He said that it will be alleged that “there were three persons in the van – they drove along the runway airside to Taxi 11 at speed, where there was a US military plane parked overnight, where An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces were providing protection for this aircraft”.
He said “the van was pursued by airport police and was stopped at the side of the parked US aircraft. The members of An Garda Síochána called for assistance from the Defence Forces”.
“The Defence Forces had their weapons drawn briefly until the situation was under control.”
He said the three suspects “had secured themselves into the van by modifying the van by putting chains and barriers in the doors and the windows”, explaining “there was a hole in the roof of the van for a ladder that allowed persons to come out of top”.
He said it will be alleged that two suspects in the rear of the van came out through the roof and sprayed green paint from a modified fire extinguisher onto the plane.
Detective Garda Moriarty said the airport fire brigade service sawed open the back of the van to gain entry.
Gardaí later seized a number of tools from the scene including a battery console, spray paint bottles, a lump hammer, a fire extinguisher with green paint, and a number of heavy duty bicycle locks with chains.
Detective Garda Moriarty said the alleged incursion was “planned and premeditated”, adding that he believes that further more serious charges will be brought in the case.
Judge Marie Keane granted legal aid to each of the three accused and remanded all three in custody with consent to bail on condition that they stay out of County Clare, do not enter any other airport within the State, sign on at their local Garda stations, and not engage in any other protests at airports.
In the cases of Mr Kavanagh and Ms Cathcart, they are to provide independent sureties of €10,000 to be approved by the court and Mr Cantwell Stratta provide a cash lodgement of €5,000.
Judge Keane remanded all three in custody with consent to bail to appear before Ennis District Court via video-link on November 25.