Shannon protesters 'people of faith' - US bishop

A leading US Catholic bishop has said the US should end its occupation of Iraq.

Thomas J. Gumbleton. Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan, made the call this morning while visiting Ireland to show solidarity with five peace activists on trial for allegedly damaging a US military plane at Shannon Airport three years ago.

Speaking to ireland.comtoday, Bishop Gumbleton said he supported the actions of the five peace activists whom he described as "people of faith" who had acted in line with Christian tradition.

The idea behind their action, he said, was to dramatise the immortality of war, which he believed was the equivalent to murder.

Damien Moran, Ciaran O'Reilly, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon and Deirdre Clancy have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging criminal damage to a US plane at Shannon on February 3rd, 2003. They also deny causing criminal damage to Aer Rianta property on the same date.

The five, who are members of the Pit Stop Ploughshares peace group, face up to ten years in prison if convicted.

Some 200 supporters of the accused participated in a peace march, led by Bishop Gumbleton, to the Four Courts this morning after holding a brief protest at the Millennium Spire on O'Connell Street.

Bishop Gumbleton was joined at the protest by Nobel Peace Prize nominee and celebrated peace activist Kathy Kelly, of the Voices in the Wilderness group.

Ms Kelly, who was in Iraq during the US "shock-and-awe" bombing campaign, told ireland.comprotests were necessary to highlight the effects of war. She said children were the victims "who always paid the debts of war".

She added there was a "moral imperative2 to prevent the United States, which she referred to as a "hyper power", from conducting its war in Iraq and asked why anyone would want to "aid and abet" such a venture.

Ms Kelly has campaigned against violence and for peace for over 25 years and has spent several spells in prison for her beliefs.

Protesters are planning on gathering at the Millennium Spire at 8.30 each morning after which they will participate in a silent Peace March to the Four Courts where a vigil 'Remembering the War Dead' will be maintained until 5pm each day.

• Bishop Gumbleton and Ms Kelly will speak at a public meeting at the Davis Theatre in Trinity College this evening and at the Milltown Institute tomorrow evening.