Principled stand costs protester his freedom

SOMETHING is seriously wrong when an anti-war protester is jailed for participating in a peaceful protest at Shannon airport.

Fintan Lane, chairperson of the Cork Anti-War Campaign and PRO of the Irish Anti-War Movement, recently began a 60-day prison sentence because of his conscientious refusal to pay a 750 fine imposed in April at Tulla District Court.

He was merely one of more than a 100 people who participated in a mass trespass at Shannon airport in October 2002, and one of ten arrested and subsequently fined. His principled stand has now cost him his liberty.

There’s no denying that a crime was committed: the integration of an Irish civilian airport into the US war machine. We know now that the invasion of Iraq was launched under cover of a lie. The Government colluded in that lie and ignored the views of Irish citizens who overwhelmingly opposed the war.

Fintan Lane should be released, and the money squandered on his imprisonment should be spent on an investigation as to why the Government was complicit in the criminal invasion.

Dominic Carroll,

Ardfield,

Clonakilty,

Co Cork.