Star Wars protesters' trial due to start

The trial of the Greenpeace ‘‘Star Wars 17’’ was beginning later today in Los Angeles.

Fifteen Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists are facing up to six years in jail for a protest against the Star Wars missile programme at Vandenberg Air Force base in California last July.

Those accused include three British people, activists Bill Nandris, 31, of Islington, north London, and John Wills, 29, of Guernsey, plus freelance photographer Steve Morgan, 37, of Frome, Somerset.

Greenpeace said last week that the US attorney’s office had presented a proposal to it and the 17 defendants for a deal with regard to the charges.

‘‘At this stage we are not able to discuss the details of the proposal but we are prepared and ready to go to trial tomorrow,’’ Greenpeace International chief media officer Sara Holden said yesterday .