Trial Begins for Hancock 17 Drone War Crimes Resisters

January 3, 2014 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2014

Contact: Mary Anne Grady Flores, Catholic Worker, Ithaca, NY, (607) 280-8797
Ed Kinane, Upstate Drone Action, Syracuse, NY, (315) 478-4571
Elliott Adams, Past Pres. Veterans for Peace, Sharon Springs, NY, (518) 441-2697

Trial Begins for Hancock 16 Drone War Crimes Resisters

Friday January 3, 5:00 PM, DeWitt Town Court, 5400 Butternut Drive, East Syracuse, NY
Press Conferences: Friday Jan 3 4 pm and Saturday Jan 4 9 am

DEWITT, N.Y. Jan 2, 2014 On Friday, January 3^rd at 5 pm, the Hancock 16, will be tried on charges of Trespass and Disorderly Conduct in the DeWitt Town Court for protesting the piloting of MQ9 Reaper Drones at Hancock Air Base. The defendants intention was to uphold International Law, under which indiscriminate attacks on civilians and terrorizing of civilian communities are forbidden; and the US Constitution which embraces International Law as the supreme law of the land in Article IV.

On October 25, 2012, the sixteen served a War Crimes Indictment to Hancock Air Base, home of the 174^thAttack Wing of the NY Air National Guard, and were arrested outside the gates of the Base. Hancock Base is located on the backside of Syracuse Airport. Base personnel fly drones in Afghanistan which kill and terrorize Afghan civilians.

The defendants will hold a press conference Friday January 3^rdat 4 pm and Saturday, January 4^th at 9 am. Both events will be held at the DeWitt Town Court, at 5400 Butternut Drive, East Syracuse, NY., immediately preceding trial.

Defendant Andrea Levine says “My grandfather who survived the Holocaust and lost his family later testified against a Nazi War Criminal. His example moves me to challenge militarism and systemic racism.”

Defendant Paki Weiland says “I was in Pakistan and I am only too aware of the trauma we have perpetrated on a people who have a recent history of oppression, suffering and war, life circumstances over which they have no control.”

Defendant Mike Perry says “There is hope for a better world when we resist killing done in our name. We invite the community to bear witness at Hancock to say no to the killer drones.”