Day 5 - Wednesday, October 20th.

After arriving at Preston Crown Court we were addressed by Tony Winters, a local Pax Christi peace activist and former member of British Intelligence in post-war occupied Japan. Tony reflected on the source of nourishment the ploughshares witness, trial and solidarity offers the local peace community. He also reflected on the power of the witness in confronting the many layers of deial we have built up about the existence and destructive potential and role of these weapons. Rowan Tilly of the "Seeds of Hope Ploughshares" community reflected on the 1996 acquital of the 4 women who disarmed the Hawk fighter. She reflected that the significance may not be found in the decisions of courts but the spirit of solidarity and resistance that moved through the communities of Liverpool and Preston. Ciaron O'Reilly updated the assembled on the fall of the Indonesian government that ordered the Hawks and the chaos that we and they have created in East Timor and throughout East Timor.

Inside the trial proceeded with Rowan Tilly attempts to give character witness for Annika, coninually interrupted by the Judge. She was followed by Stellan Vinthagen's lengthy and powerful personal testimony. Check the Bread Not Bombs website for a more detailed description of this testimony.

Stellan's testimony was followed by the departure of the jury for the day and legal argument. During this argument the judge ruled out the defence of necessity and consent and stated he would direct the jury that the defendants had no legal defence to the charge of "conspiracy to cause criminal damage" to Trident Vengeance.

The trial will finish tomorrow with closings by Stellan, Annika's barrister and the prosecution (they expect to be done by noon), the jury will be sent out to reach a decision. The charge carries a maximum of ten years imprisonment.

We will gather at St. Wilfred's, Chapel St. at 8.30 a.m. to proceed to court by 9.30.