Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday organised by Ógra Shinn Féin against the war on Iraq, Sinn Féin spokesperson on International Affairs, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, slammed the use of the 26-County Army for duty at Shannon Airport as an act of "intimidation". He said the show of military strength - 120 troops are to be stationed at the airport - was designed to frustrate the anti-war effort in Ireland and to defend the breaching of Irish neutrality.
Praising the efforts of young people in showing their opposition to the war and the use of Shannon Airport by the US military he said, "Ógra Shinn Féin, the Peace Campers, and all other young anti-war activists should be commended for the courage of their convictions."
Later that day, a spokesperson for the Peace Camp said that it would be dismantled as the camp had become a media circus. She said they now wanted to focus on the other issues over the use of the airport by the US military.
Following his meeting with Bertie Ahern that evening, US special envoy Richard Haass said he was satisfied that measures were now being taken that would allow US troops to continue using Shannon.
All this took place in the wake of two incidents of direct action by protestors against the US military use of the airport. Last week, ¤500,000 damage was caused to a US Navy aircraft when peace activist Mary Kelly attacked it with a hatchet. A further five protestors broke into the hangar housing the aircraft in the early hours of Monday morning.
"It is always young people who lead the way and take the first stand against war and injustice," Ó Snodaigh told the press conference. "Young anti-war activists in this state and throughout the island, in America itself, and all over the world, who are mobilising to stop this unjust war, are to be commended for the courage of their convictions. This government has grossly underestimated the breadth and depth of Irish and international opposition to this impending war.
"It is incredible that the Cabinet is this morning considering the deployment of Irish troops against Irish citizens to protect foreign war planes. Such intimidation of the anti-war movement is unacceptable."
Commenting on Monday's events at Shannon Airport, he said: "It is wrong to characterise the actions of these protestors as violent. They were purely symbolic. Nobody was harmed. Trevor Sargent has described the incidents as regrettable. What is regrettable is that these activists felt compelled to resort to such direct actions because their own government is not listening, and refuses to acknowledge that opposition to this war is growing. There is nothing wrong in a campaign of civil disobedience if those engaged in it are morally justified in doing so.
"The real wrong in all of this is that the government is pursuing a policy against the wishes of the people of this state and in violation of the Constitution and the laws of this land. It is a policy that the Taoiseach himself acknowledges is all about money and not principle. Put simply, Irish neutrality and an independent foreign policy are being exchanged for 40% of the business of Shannon Airport. Irish wages are to be paid for with the blood of innocent Iraqi men, women and children. That is the real crime in all of this - not some minor damage to a plane that shouldn't even be here in the first place."
Commenting on the fact that the Dáil is considering new legislation under which these protesters could be charged as terrorists, Ó Snodaigh added: "Sinn Féin will be opposing the new Terrorist Offences Bill as a draconian piece of legislation that is being rushed through the Dáil with undue haste."
Dublin City Council unanimously adopted a Sinn Féin motion at its meeting on Monday night calling for support for the anti-war rally on 15 February and for a stop to the drive to war on the Iraqi people.
Sinn Féin Councillor Larry O'Toole, who proposed the motion, said: "I am delighted not just that the motion passed, but that it passed with the support of all groups and parties on City Council. This kind of cross-party support for the anti-war movement is a sign of the growing numbers of Irish people who are taking a stand against the war. 58 American cities have also passed anti-war motions and the numbers there, and here, are set to grow."
Dublin City Council joins local councils in Derry, Galway and Sligo that have passed anti-war motions in the last few weeks.
d Clonakilty Sinn Féin Councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin has expressed his disappointment and shame that his colleagues on Clonakilty Town Council this week refused to support a similar motion for peace.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)
