"President" Martin Sheen to Pardon Australian on $4.5 Million Anti-War Charge
http://www.indymedia.ie/index.cgi by Pit Stop Ploughshares 9:39am Sat May 24 '03 article#6028
Friday May 23, 2003 at 11:09 PM
Today, Martin Sheen, who plays the US president in the "West Wing", will publicly pardon Australian anti-war activist Ciaron O'Reilly who, along with four others, is charged with doing 2.5 million euros (AU$4.5 million) criminal damage to a U.S. war plane in the lead up to the recent Gulf war.
IRELAND
PHOTOS AVAILABLE
Today, Martin Sheen, who plays the US president in the "West Wing", will publicly pardon Australian anti-war activist Ciaron O'Reilly who, along with four others, is charged with doing 2.5 million euros (AU$4.5 million) criminal damage to a U.S. war plane in the lead up to the recent Gulf war.
Martin Sheen has come out in support of the defendants, known as the "Pit Stop Ploughshares Community". On Feb 3rd this year the defendants entered Shannon Airport poured human blood on the runway and used household hammers to disarm a U.S. warplane. 50,000 U.S. troops and munitions passed through this Irish airport during the recent War.
O'Reilly, from Brisbane, faces several years in jail if convicted. He spent over a year in jail in the United States for his participation in the disarmament of a B-52 Bomber on the eve of the first Gulf War.
Sheen met with O'Reilly and his 4 co-defendants in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland the birthplace of his mother. He was there to celebrate the 100th anniversary of her birth.
Sheen had been very outspoken in the United States against the war, addressing thousands at a rally in New York in the lead up to the war.
The pardoning will take place at 6pm (3am AEST Saturday 24th). Photos will be available shortly afterwards.
O'Reilly is available for telephone interviews. Mobile (Ireland): 0011 353 87 918 4552
Photos of Sheen and O'Reilly from "Press 22": Phone: 0011 353 61 204 222
Background info:
http://www.ploughsharesireland.org Landline answering machine: 0011 353 1 406 4466
www.ploughsharesireland.org