Greenpeace balloon drops 'no war' leaflets on B-52 base

A Greenpeace hot air balloon today dropped anti-war leaflets over an RAF base where 14 giant B-52 bombers are on stand-by.

Shortly before the engines of the bombers were fired up, the balloon, with the words “No War” written on the side, dropped some 500 leaflets on to the base.

A Greenpeace spokeswoman said: “The balloon over-flew the airstrip and the B-52 bombers that are being loaded, and dropped 500 leaflets down to the personnel.

“It wasn’t about disrupting the workings of the base. We ensured that there weren’t any flights going on at the time.

“We contacted the base, the police and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that there was no risk to the army, personnel and those on the balloon.

“The intention was to drop leaflets about the risk to the Iraqi civilians and the hypocrisy of the US for selling weapons in the first place.”

She said the balloon flew at 200ft and was flown by campaign director John Sauven.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said no action was being taken by them.

Yesterday, bombs were placed alongside the planes, which have yet to be used in the war against Saddam Hussein.