British SHAC Trial and other news

ELP Information Bulletin (23rd of December 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has three lots of news for you today:

1) British SHAC Trial
2) French anti-nuclear prisoners update
3) News from Holland

1) As a lot of ELP supporters will be aware, last year the British police
raided a large number of properties across Britain and into mainland Europe,
seeking out SHAC activists.  Although the main purpose of these raids
appears to of been designed to intimidate lawful campaigners from involving
themselves with a very sucessful lawful campaign, eight of those arrested
were later charged with "conspiracy to blackmail".  The evidence appears to
of been that they were involved with a lawful campaign but some people,
unknown to them, carried out illegal activities against SHAC campaign
targets and therefore they were conspiring to blackmail.  I know, it doesn't
make sense to us either, but thats the British legal system for you!

Prior to the trial starting three of the defendants, Gregg Avery, Natasha
Avery and Daniel Amos pleaded guilty to their nonsense charge, whilst the
others pleaded not guilty.

Following a long trial, today the Jury returned their verdict finding
Heather Nicholson, Gerrah Selby, Daniel Wadham, and Gavin Medd-Hall, guilty.
Fifth defendants, Trevor Holmes, was found not guilty.

Following the guilty verdicts sentencing has been set for the 19th of
January 2009.  Gerrah, Dan W, and Gavin were all bailed pending sentencing.
The others, who were already on remand, were sent back to prison pending
sentencing.

Please send urgent letters of support to:

Dan Amos VN7818
HMP Winchester
Romsey Road
Winchester
SO22 5DF
England.

Gregg Avery TA7450
HMP Winchester
Romsey Road
Winchester
SO22 5DF
England.

Natasha Avery NR8987
HMP Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middx.
TW15 3JZ
England.

Heather Nicholson VM4859
HMP Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford
Middx.
TW15 3JZ
England.

2) As ELP recently reported, a number of French Anarchists have been
arrested accused of sabotaging railway lines in protest at nuclear convoy
trains.  The majority of the defendants, known at the Tarnac 9, have been
bailed pending their trial.  However two of the defendants, Yildune Levy and
Julien Coupat, have been remanded into custody.  Their prison address are:

Maison d'arret des femmes
Yildune Levy N° 369 772
6, avenue des Peupliers
F-91700 Fleury Mérogis
France

Julien Coupat
N° d'écrou 290173
42 rue de la santé
F-75014 Paris
France

However supporters of the Tarnac 9 have said they believe both remaining
prisoners may be released tomorrow.  ELP will bring you more information on
this as we receive it.  In the meantime, please check of the following
websites for further information on the case:

* http://www.soutien11novembre.org (French language site)
* http://tarnac9.noblogs.org (German language site)
* http://tarnac9.wordpress.com (English language site)

3) Finally, not wishing to depress people during this festive season, but it
appears the Dutch police are looking to have their own persecution of animal
rights activists.  The following article was spotted on the internet:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/22/content_10544561.htm

BRUSSELS, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands will set up a special police
unit to address radical actions against individuals and companies by animal
rights activists, the Home Affairs Ministry said.

The special team, which also includes members from the public prosecution
department and the Dutch intelligence service, will try to prevent dangerous
intimidation practices by extreme animal rights organizations, Home Affairs
Minister Guusje ter Horst was quoted by local newspaper De Telegraaf as
saying Sunday.

The decision followed repeated attacks on company or individual properties
in the Netherlands by animal rights activists.

The latest one occurred early Saturday morning when two cars of a top
executive of NYSE Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange, which were parked in
front of his home in the western Dutch town of Wassenaar, were set on fire.

The shares of Huntingdon Life Sciences, a British animal testing center, are
traded on Euronext.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, a similar attack
last month a former senior executive of Euronext in the central Dutch town
of Hilversum was claimed by an animal rights group.

In March, several houses of Euronext executives were covered with graffiti
after British animal activists published their personal details on websites.
The website called on visitors to send unwanted e-mails to the executives
every day.

The violence used by activists is "very dangerous" and "an unacceptable form
of intimidation directed at people who are simply doing their job," Ter
Horst told Dutch TV broadcaster NOS on Sunday. "We must come down hard on
it," she said.

The new Dutch team is modeled on a similar British force combating animal
rights  extremism.

In reaction to Saturday's attack, a spokesman for the Dutch animal rights
group Respect for Animals said such sort of attack is acceptable.

"We think the fact that animals are used in pointless experiments is worse.
Cars do not have feelings," he said.

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk