depleted uranium transformed into plowshares
Warthogs disarmed!

Essex MD -19 December, 1999:   Phil Berrigan, Susan Crane, Steve Kelly S.J., and Elizabeth Walz carried forward the Plowshares tradition by swinging hammers on two A-10 Thunderbolt planes at Warfield Air National Guard Base on the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Phil and Elizabeth worked together on one plane, hammering on the Gatling gun in the nose of the plane and on the pylons under the wings, and pouring their blood into the engines of the plane. Meanwhile Steve and Susan addressed a second plane, Steve also climbing onto a wing to peel back the vinyl cover and pour his blood into one of the engines of the plane. They hung their banner: PLOWSHARES VS. DEPLETED URANIUM on the site.

DU · Radioactive waste, almost   twice as dense as lead · Can pierce 4 inches of armor · Half life of 4.5 billion years · Use in weaponry partially motivated   by Government need to use up   500,00 tons of stockpiled   radioactive waste. · On impact, particles can travel 26   miles · First used in Gulf War, 300-800 tons   of DU particles were scattered in   Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq · DU weapons are indiscriminate and   therefore violate international law.   Over 90,000 US troops who served in   the Gulf War have medical problems   likely caused by exposure to DU · Doctors in Iraq have documented an   increase in leukemia and other cancers. · Children are most affected,   experiencing leukemia, lymphoma,   bone cancer, birth defects, etc. · DU munitions have been dropped   by the US in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi   Arabia, Bosnia, Puerto Rico, Japan,   New York and Maryland

Federal Air Police used pepper spray on Steve and tackled Susan during the arrest. The four are being held in Essex, charged with trespass and destruction of property as well as burglary (!) (16 years max) and, for Susan, assault (!!), since she didn't choose to cooperate with orders to desist (26 years max for Susan).

A small excerpt from their statement follows:

The A-10 is an aircraft built around a gun-a 30 mm 7-barrel Gatling that can spew 3.900 rounds per minute. This criminal plane fired 95 percent of the depleted uranium deployed by the U. S. during the Gulf War, leaving behind 300-800 tons (Dutch Laka Foundation) poisoning humans and the elements in Kuwait and Iraq.

Sanctions (a crime against humanity) and depleted uranium (a war crime) have killed 2 million Iraqis since the war's end.

We come to the Maryland Warfield Air National Guard Base to convert the A-10, as Roman Catholic Christians, in obedience to God's prohibition against killing. Also, to embody Isaiah's vision of a disarmed world where hearts are converted to compassion and justice and the weapons are converted to the tools of peace. Finally, to atone for another nuclear war in Iraq, and a third in Yugoslavia.

So help us God.

Write to them:
Philip Berrigan 995923
44 Kenilworth Drive
Towson MD 21204

Susan Crane 995375
200 Court House Court
Towson MD 21204

Steve Kelly SJ 995242
44 Kenilworth Drive
Towson MD 21204

Elizabeth Walz 995376
200 Court House Court
Towson MD 21204