PIne Gap 4 in Gaol

Donna Mulhearn, Adele Goldie and Jim Dowling from the 'Pine Gap Four' were taken into custody this morning Tuesday 13/2/08 at 11am Darwin time (12.30pm e.s.t.) in a private house in the suburb of Ludmilla in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

They arrived on flights from Sydney and Brisbane overnight. Police admitted they were under surveillance and tracked their address through car registration numbers. On Monday the fourth member of the group Bryan Law had been taken into custody and sent to Berrima Gaol for refusing to pay fines imposed by an Alice Springs court late in 2007 following the occupation of the US war facility outside Alice Springs known as Pine Gap.

The three arrested this Tuesday were informed that the police were issuing warrants - Their choice was immediate payment of fines or transference via police vehicle to the Darwin Central lock-up and then processing to Berrimah Gaol. in the Darwin suburbs. The three informed the police they would not pay the fines on principle and were immediately taken into custody. Supporters maintained a two hour vigil outside the Central Lock Up between 11am and one pm (Darwin time) today. (Unfortunately the local media were flat out covering the 'Sorry Day' event and the medical treatment of Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta in Darwin Hospital). Overnight there was mention in the 'Northern Territory News' newspaper of the prior arrest (Monday 12/2/08) of Bryan Law. A brief interview with Donna Mulhearn also appeared on ABC Radio.

The Pine Gap Four were last seen departing the police station at 1pm local time here and will be in Berrimah Gaol for the next 5-6 days Even if they "work off" the fines imposed on them in the Alice Springs court in late 2007, they still face the prospect of the Federal Crown Prosecutor pursuing them in the Darwin Supreme Court - which is listed for hearing on Wednesday 20/2/08. The Federal Crown prosecutor laid original charges against the four under a never before used national security law framed in the 1950s in the context of World War Two and the Cold War. The appeal for a heavier sentence appears vindictive and persecutive because of the success of the non-violent anti war action against Pine Gap where "trespass" by the "Christians Against All Terrorism" group closed the base for a number of hours during the change of shift.

Local activists in Darwin are calling for the release from gaol of the "Pine Gap - Berrimah Four", the withdrawal of outstanding fines and the withdrawal by the Crown Prosecutor's Office of any appeal attempts to increase penalties. Peace activists who have been contacting the new ALP Attorney General have urged the government to cancel the antiquated laws under which the peace activists were arrested under.

This statment is issed by eye-witness to their arrest Jefferson Lee from the Australia-East Timor Association who is supporting their immediate release.
Related Link: http://www.pinegap6.org