Five due in court over damage to US plane

Five people are due in court this evening after security at Shannon Airport was breached and a US military aircraft was damaged early this morning.

It was the third security breach at the airport by peace activists protesting against the US military build-up for a possible war against Iraq.

The three women and two men, all members of the pacifist Catholic Worker group, were due to appear at a special sitting Ennis District Court.

They are expected to be charged with criminal damge.

Their court appearance follows an incident where protesters broke through the airport's security fence and entered a hanger at 4 a.m. where they overpowered a garda on duty.

A US Navy aircraft undergoing repairs in the hanger following an incident last week by an anti-war protester from a separate group was damaged.