Suspended sentence for anti-war campaigner

A 23-year-old peace campaigner who painted anti-war slogans on a US Airforce Transport plane at Shannon airport has been fined €1,000 and given a six month suspended sentence.

Eoin Dubsky of Ballymoney, Gorey, Co Wexford, who appeared before Shannon District court today, admitted spray painting slogans and peace symbols on the aircraft but he said he believed he was justified in doing so to protest at the use of Shannon by US war planes.

Judge Joseph Mangan found Eoin Dubsky guilty of causing criminal damage to the aircraft and in addition to the fine and the suspended jail sentence, he also ordered him to stay away from Co Clare for 2 years.

Dubsky said he would appeal the decision to the circuit court. He said would not pay the fine and would go to jail if his appeal did not succeed.

He said his actions were designed to draw attention to the unjust war which the US was waging in Iraq.

Support for rally

Meanwhile, several political parties and independent TDs have spoken out in support of this Saturday's planned anti-war protest in Dublin. The rally and march, which will coincide with world wide protests, will begin at 2pm on 15 February at Parnell Square.

Labour party leader, Pat Rabbitte, said the Government had totally failed to articulate the views of the Irish people on the threat of war. 'The Irish people can speak for themselves with a massive turnout on Saturday,' he said.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called for tens of thousands of people across the country to join the anti-war protests in Dublin and Belfast.

Speaking at a news conference in Dublin this lunchtime, Mr Adams said there was no justification for this war which he predicted would have catastrophic consequences not only in Iraq itself but throughout the Middle East.

'Our experience of the Irish peace process has shown us in a very real waythat dialogue and negotiation are the best way to achieve the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

'It is regrettable that the Irish Government is not promoting this in the UN,' he said.

Independents support rally

Six independent Dáil deputies along with the leader of the Socialist Party, Joe Higgins, held a joint news conference today in support of the protest.

The deputies who attended the briefing under the umbrella of the Irish Anti-War Movement were Finian McGrath, Liam Twomey, Jerry Cowley, Tony Gregory, Marian Harkin and Séamus Healy, as well as Mr Higgins.

One of the speakers at this morning's news conference said that just because they were opposed to war did not mean that they were anti-American.