A GROUP of politicians backing anti-war protesters who face trial for damage to a US warplane have said they would support further direct action against American military aircraft.

The trial of five antiwar protesters accused of criminal damage of a United States Navy plane at Shannon Airport has collapsed following a suggestion by the defence that the trial judge had attended the inauguration of George W Bush as US president.

The Dublin born former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations has told a jury that he holds the UN responsible for killing many thousands of people, including children, in Iraq through the imposition of sanctions.

A former US marine has told a jury that he was given "carte blanche" to kill and was told to "shoot first and ask questions later" while serving in Iraq following the outbreak of war in 2003.

One of the antiwar protesters accused of the criminal damage of a US naval aeroplane at Shannon Airport has agreed he previously engaged in actions of a similar nature in other jurisdictions.

The five anti-war protestors accused of criminally damaging a United States naval aeroplane will say they acted in defence of others, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury has heard.

The trial of five antiwar protestors charged with damaging a US aircraft at Shannon Airport has collapsed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following legal arguments in the absence of the jury.

One of the five protestors charged with damaging a US aircraft at Shannon Airport has told the jury that "acting on the philosophies of Isaiah rather than pissing off George Bush" was the motivation behind their actions.

One of five anti-war protestors charged with damaging a United States of America aircraft at Shannon Airport in February 2003 described their actions as "disarmament in a non-violent and legal way", a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Five antiwar protesters charged with damaging a United States of America aircraft at Shannon Airport in February 2003 were carrying a large pickaxe and several hammers with antiwar slogans inscribed on them, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Five anti-war protesters charged with damaging a United States aircraft in a hanger at Shannon Airport in February 2003 "did what they did" with every intention of causing damage to property, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury has heard.

A jury has been sworn in for the trial of five anti-war protestors accused of damaging a US naval plane at ShannonAairport in February 2003.

Five British anti-war activists were arrested today after they forced their way into the Irish Embassy in London.

Five anti-war protesters have had their bail conditions amended after their trial for causing €500,000 worth of damage to a US naval plane in Shannon was transferred to Dublin.

Six people facing charges in connection with anti-war protests at Shannon airport were remanded on continuing bail in court at nearby Ennis, Co Clare today.

THE most experienced of the five Catholic Worker members, who entered Shannon Airport damaging a US military plane on Monday morning, has already spent more than 18 months in prison for similar actions on two different continents.