Greenpeace Volunteers face potentially serious charges following Star Wars action

Fifteen Greenpeace volunteers (including two from the UK), plus a freelance photographer from the UK and videographer from the US will appear in court in California later today (4.30pm GMT) as a result of the Greenpeace direct action against the latest 'Star Wars' missile test on Sunday morning. At this time it is not clear what charges they will face.

The court address is the Roybal Federal Buidling, 255 Temple St, Suite 3546, Los Angeles.

The Star Wars test was delayed by around 45 minutes as a result of Greenpeace volunteers successfully breaching security at Vandenburg airbase, from where a dummy 'hostile missile' was due to be launched. Four swimmers, from the U.S. and the UK, were taken into custody after they surfed on boogie boards onto the beach at the base. A further 11 members of four boat crews, including two divers, were arrested by the FBI, after the boats entered the missile launch exclusion zone. A videographer and photographer were also detained.

The nationalities of those arrested are: British, American, German, Swedish, Indian, Australian and Canadian.

Commenting on the court appearance Greenpeace campaigner Andy Tait said,
"Greenpeace activists took completely peaceful action against the Star Wars test because the development of this system is a real threat to global security".

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace Press Office on 020 7865 8255.

The UK volunteers currently under arrest are:
Bill Nandris, 31 from Canonbury, London
Steve Morgan, from Somerset
John Wills from Guernsey