US Air Force Hercules AC-130W reg 87-9288 - A US KILLER COMES CALLING

clare | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Friday October 18, 2013 15:29

by Galway Alliance Against War

So this is the little US "beauty" that landed at Shannon Warport on the 5th Sept and departed on the 6th Sept. US Air Force Hercules AC-130W reg 87-9288
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FvmWBx6BLw (Preview)

THE US MILITARY HUB AT SHANNON AIRPORT & LABOUR’S MAKEOVER FOR DEREK NOLAN

The Galway Alliance Against War has stated that the publication of a parliamentary question confirming an armed US warplane landed at Shannon “underlines the need to close the US military hub at Shannon airport.”

According to the US military this incident was caused by an “administrative error”. However GAAW argues that it “shows that the US army sees Shannon as just another US military base. And why wouldn’t they? For the past 12 years Washington has flown millions of troops through Shannon and thousands of military transport planes, plus CIA “rendition” flights have freely travelled to war zones via the Co. Clare airport. None of these planes have ever been searched, nor would they be searched at any normal US military airport.

“It is a known fact – that became clear to the public on RTE’s Joe Duffy Show back on April 1st 2008 – that munitions are transported through Shannon including depleted uranium. This became apparent after a US DC8 transport plane made an emergency landing at Shannon. A spokesperson for the owners of the plane, Murray’s Air, admitted on RTE that the company had a licence from the Irish state to transport munitions, including depleted uranium via Ireland.

“One of the most regular US military transport planes to land in Shannon is the Hercules C130. These are used by the US military to carry the killer drones. These weapons are highly portable and are disassembled and carried in a container appropriately called a “coffin”. Because consecutive Irish governments have refused to search US military flights Washington can send whatever they wish through Shannon, including kidnapped prisoners and deadly weaponry. It is time to close this US military hub.”

DEREK NOLAN’S MICHAEL D MAKEOVER

This most recent controversy at Shannon occurred on September 5th when Irish army personnel noted that one of the warplanes was armed with a fixed weapon, i.e. a missile. Galway’s local peace group believes that it was no accident that Derek Nolan, a Galway Labour TD, was given the task of posing the question. “We believe Labour is trying to give Derek Nolan a Michael D makeover in a vain attempt to save the Labour seat. Nolan was recently in the Middle East on some silly fact-finding mission and now he’s posing a question given to him by the authorities about the US military at Shannon. This is just a ruse by Labour. Nolan has never shown any interest in peace up until now. His new-found interest is farcical. No question about it, Nolan is toast!”ENDS

Below transcript and podcast link to abovementioned Joe Duffy programme

An American DC8 made an emergency landing in Shannon last Friday evening. Despite the fact that the good people of Shannon and Askeaton reporting that a low flying plane with flames coming out of it had scared the bejesus out of them, this event was ignored by the national media (until today).

On top of this. The plane in question was a part of Murray Air's fleet. This company is licensed to carry 'goods' for the American military and does so. After much waffle, a certain Ms. Bell admitted that the flight on Friday night had been carrying goods for the US military, but would neither confirm nor deny that these goods were munitions. Later on in the interview, this changed to a flat out denial that munitions were the cargo. One must also realise at this point that Ms. Bell at first refused to confirm that the customer was the American military and that through the course of her interrogation she was forced to confirm that it was indeed the US military that was the customer on Friday night. If the cargo were not munitions, why the big deal, in telling us what the cargo was? Surely the US would go to pains to assure us poor boggers that we were in no danger of being blown to bits, or worse, poisoned for generations by Depleted Uranium.

Under cross examination by Edward Horgan and Joe Duffy today, Tracey Bell, Director of administration for Murray Air, admitted that explosives had been brought through Shannon on previous occasions:

TRANSCRIPT

Joe Duffy - Murray Air could carry explosives through Shannon?

Tracey Bell - I can confirm that, yes sir.

Joe Duffy - Have you carried explosives through Shannon?

Tracey Bell - I believe so, yes sir.

Joe Duffy - ... for the American Army?

Tracey Bell - Yes sir.

These confessions were extracted without waterboarding or through the use of other forms of outlawed torture.

It was asked by Edward Horgan whether Murray Air had carried Depleted Uranium through Shannon. Tracey said she didn't know, but when pressed confirmed that their license allowed for them to carry DU through Shannon.

Why would one bother getting such a license if one didn't intend to use it?

Ms. Bell also insisted that Murray Air was in full compliance with Irish law.

Has the Irish government given permission to carry munitions through Irish airspace and airports to Murray Air and does this permission extend to carrying Depleted Uranium?

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2008/pc/pod- ... veline.mp3