Army personnel drew weapons during Shannon airport incursion

Gordon Deegan

Members of the Defence Forces tasked to protect a US military aircraft at Shannon airport drew their weapons briefly in response to an alleged “planned and premeditated” airport incursion by three pro-Palestinian activists, a court has heard.

At a special late-night sitting of Ennis District Court on Sunday night, Det Garda Colm Moriarty told the court that a US military aircraft parked overnight at the airport allegedly sustained criminal damage when spray-painted with green paint from a modified fire extinguisher on top of a modified van in a taxi area on the airfield at Shannon airport on Saturday morning.

At a contested bail hearing for the three accused, all aged 23 and with no previous convictions, Det Garda Moriarty said that one of the three accused, Kaspar Aiden Cantwell Strattra (23) of Manorlands Crescent, Trim, Co Meath, replied after charge and caution at Ennis Garda Station: “The use of Shannon airport by the US military breaks Irish neutrality. The US is a belligerent power complicit in the genocide of Palestinians.”

In the case, Mr Cantwell Strattra, social science student, Ms Emily Cathcart (23) North View, Knocknagin Rd, Balbriggan, Co Dublin and Conan Kavanagh (23) of New Cabra Rd, Dublin 7 and St Joseph’s Drive, Montenotte, Cork are charged with the criminal damage of the main body of a Boeing 737-700 belonging to the US Navy Reserve at Shannon airport on November 22nd.

The three are also charged with the criminal damage of a Shannon airport airside vehicle barrier and with trespass at the main apron and taxi-way 11 at Shannon airport on the same date.

Outlining the State case against the three, Det Garda Moriarty of Shannon Garda Station said that it will be alleged that at around 9.30am on Saturday, a Ford Transit van entered the apron at Shannon airport and crashed through the exit barrier at speed.

He said that it will be alleged that “there were three persons in the van - they drove along the runway airside to taxi 11 at speed where there was a US military plane parked overnight where An Garda Siochána and the Defence Forces were providing protection for this aircraft".

He said: “The van was pursued by airport police and was stopped at the side of the parked US aircraft. The members of An Garda Siochána called for assistance from the Defence Forces.

He said: “The Defence Forces had their weapons drawn briefly until the situation was under control. The Defence Force members assisted An Garda Siochána in apprehending the suspects."

He said that the three suspects “had secured themselves into the van by modifying the van by putting chains and barriers in the doors and the windows”.

He said that two suspects were in the rear of the van. He said that there was a hole in the roof of the van for a ladder that allowed persons to come out of top.

He said that while An Garda Siochána and Defence Force members were attempting to enter the van, it will be alleged that two suspects in the rear of the van came out through the roof of the van and sprayed green paint from a modified fire extinguisher onto the plane damaging the aircraft.

During the 75-minute bail hearing for the three, Det Garda Moriarty said that the Gardai and the Defence Force members required the assistance of the airport fire brigade service to saw open the back of the van to gain entry into the van.

Gardai later seized a number of tools from the scene including a battery console, spray paint bottles, a lump hammer and a fire extinguisher with green paint and a number of heavy duty bicycle locks with chains.

Det Moriarty said that the strength of evidence is extensive in the case and that the three accused were allegedly “caught red-handed”.

He said that the alleged incursion was “planned and premeditated”.

Det Moriarty showed Judge Marie Keane CCTV footage of the incident.

He said that the airport had to be shut down for 30 minutes, and one incoming aircraft was placed in a holding pattern before the airport could re-open.

He said that as a result of the incident, there were numerous foreign debris parts strewn across Taxi area 11 and this could potentially have catastrophic effects for other aircraft.

Det Garda Moriarty said that he believes that furthermore serious charges will be brought in the case.

Commenting on the criminal damage charge to the aircraft, Judge Keane said that

“I have no knowledge of the cost of painting an aircraft, but I can only assume that it is tens of thousands of euros if not more and there is an alleged injured party here and from signage on the plane it is an American-owned plane.”

Judge Keane said that there “is an alleged victim in all of this in addition to the whole security issue”.

Judge Keane said that “Shannon airport is governed by the Air Navigation Act and security at Shannon airport is essential to the security of the State as a whole and is not to be taken separately”.

Judge Keane granted legal aid to solicitor Tara Godfrey to represent each of the three accused after Ms Godfrey said that the three were suitable candidates for legal aid.

Judge Keane remanded all three in custody with consent to bail on condition that the three stay out of Co Clare, not to enter any other airport within the State, sign on at their local Garda stations and not engage in any other protests at airports.

In the cases of Mr Kavanagh and Ms Cathcart, they are to provide independent sureties of €10,000 each to be approved by the court, and Mr Cantwell Stratta provide a cash lodgement of €5,000.

Ms Godfrey said that Mr Cantwell Stratta’s mother was in court if required to give evidence to support the bail application.

Judge Keane remanded all three in custody with consent to bail to appear before Ennis District Court via video-link on Tuesday, November 25th.