WORKSHIFT DISRUPTED AT RAYTHEON SYSTEMS LTD, FIFE

Five Activists Escorted Out The County

At 7.30 a.m. on Monday 26th November 2007, five people peacefully walked straight into Raytheon Systems Ltd, Glenrothes having found the gates open and security a bit slow. They walked into reception and asked to speak to a spokesperson at the site, who unsurprisingly did not emerge, and traffic was held up whilst a long banner stating "Raytheon SL, Death Profiteers" was held across a main access road inside the site. Two supplementary gates had by lucky coincidence been D-locked at the same time. Fliers were given out to workers queuing up to get into the car park and photos of the human cost of the bombs dropped on Lebanon last summer.

Picture of Ratheon Fife

The fliers stated they were acting in opposition to Raytheon Systems Ltd "provoking international instability; facilitating the slaughter of innocent civilians; profiteering from the US and UK's 'War on Terror'; providing for the US 'Star Wars' programme; and playing an active role in enabling Israeli forces to engage in practices that violate international law and the human rights of the Palestinian people, through manufacturing weapons components used by the Israeli Army."

Security and police quickly outnumbered the activists, and having had a brief but interesting look around, the 5 went to hand out leaflets just outside the site. The 5 were not arrested for entering the site or holding up traffic, but just as the 5 decided to leave they were not given permission to move till details were given. The excessive numbers of police at the time included a FIT team, several vans and 3 inspectors (yes, 3) all present. All 5 were arrested or detained for "perverting the course of justice" as 4 had initially given incorrect names, but this had been corrected very soon after. They were held at Glenrothes and then taken to Sheriff court in Kirkcaldy that afternoon. The PF dropped all charges as the police had not properly carried out Section 14.

The policing had been totally excessive, harassing and eager to protect Raytheon SL interests from any kind of peaceful protest. The van had been parked away from the site, but was still clocked by the police, and drivers details taken. The police told the driver they would be following the van out of the county, so when heading back they were followed all the way to Kincardine Bridge!

The following Monday, four people went to demonstrate outside RSL whilst the workshift was leaving the site. Two went as legal observers and two demonstrating. Again policing was excessive and included a FIT team, but no one was asked to give their details. Since then Faslane Peace Camp have held vigils outside the RSL Glenrothes site every Monday between 4 and 6pm.

Please GO along if you can. Download flier for info and directions.

WHY RAYTHEON?

Picture of GBU-28 Raytheon Systems Limited is the UK subsidiary of one of the largest arms manufacturers in the world – the US company Raytheon. Raytheon is a major manufacturer of Israeli weapons. RSL and Raytheon are also at the frontline of enabling the US's 'Star Wars' system to go ahead.

The "Raytheon 9" are facing trial in Derry in January 2008. They took action at RSL in Derry last summer to save lives of innocent civilians in Lebanon. RSL at Glenrothes manufacture the GPS-aided navigation system and control systems for the Paveway guided "bunker busting" bombs produced in the United States and sold to Israel who used them in their war on Lebanon July/Aug 2006 – at least 100 of which were delivered to Israel by US during height of the war. http://www.raytheon9.org/

Currently there are reports that the US is stockpiling Raytheon Tomahawk missiles in preparation for a possible attack on Iran.

The group believe that those companies involved in making bomb components are accountable and have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure they are not facilitating and committing and war crimes.

The group state they were also acting against Raytheon and RSL being a prime provider at the "Star Wars" RSL facility at Fylingdales, Yorkshire where they are at the forefront of the installation of the upgrade to the radar used in the US National Missile "Defence" programme. As outlined by UK CND this system has already provoked global instability, and will provoke arms proliferation, a space arms race, and gives the US the ability to strike with impunity. It puts the UK at the frontline in future wars and ties the UK even closer to US foreign and military policy. ("The US National Missile Defence programme: a destabilising provocation." http://www.cnduk.org/

For more info:
Email info@act4peace.org.uk

Background:
RSL Glenrothes – http://www.raytheon.co.uk/about/glenrothes.html
RSL Fylingdales – http://www.raytheon.co.uk/about/fylingdales.html

Raytheon Systems Ltd in Glenrothes, manufacture the GPS-aided navigation system for the Paveway guided GBU-28 "bunker busting" bombs produced in the United States and sold to Israel who used them in their war on Lebanon July/Aug 2006. http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1178112006
In manufacturing munitions equipment used in the Israeli Arsenal, Raytheon also has an active role in enabling Israeli forces to engage in practices that violate international law and the human rights of the Palestinian people. Raytheon has also supplied electronic equipment for the Israeli Wall.
The National Lawyers Guild of the US identified Raytheon as one of the arms dealers whose "acts constitute a war crime and in some cases crimes against humanity". http://www.nlg.org/mideast/resolutions/resolutions.shtml
Raytheon is one of the big time Ballistic Missile Defence companies. RSL engineers at their facility at Fylingdales, Yorkshire, have been at "the forefront" of installing an upgrade of the radar to be used in the US "Star Wars" programme. Space is being militarised and RSL is at frontline helping this happen. Missile defence is about control – US's plans for "full spectral dominance" means dominance of land, sea, air, space and information – and RSL is there enabling wherever possible for it to go ahead as planned.
Raytheon's Paveway guided bomb system, was widely used in the "Shock and Awe" campaign in Iraq. Since 1999, both the Tomahawk cruise missile and the AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon have been used against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Both of these missiles are made by Raytheon and can be equipped to deploy cluster submunitions. http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/bgm-109.htm http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/agm-154.htm
There are reports that the US is stockpiling Tomahawk missiles in preparation for a possible attack on Iran. A former senior American intelligence official stated "The Navy's planes, ships, and cruise missiles are in place in the Gulf and operating daily. They've got everything they need—even AWACS are in place and the targets in Iran have been programmed. The Navy is flying FA-18 missions every day in the Gulf." (New Yorker 8/10/07 Seymour Hersh.)
International Law holds corporations liable for supplying governments with weapons that are used to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. International law defines the destruction of 'objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population', and the use of weapons and tactics that cannot distinguish between combatants and non-combatants as war crimes.

RSL has a legal and moral responsibility to act.

RAYTHEON SYSTEMS Ltd

Raytheon Systems Ltd (RSL):-

provokes international instability
facilitates the slaughter of innocent civilians
profiteers from the US and UK's "war on terror"
is a provider for the US "Star Wars" programme
and enables Israel to continue violating international laws and the human rights of the Palestinian people.

This is inhumane, immoral and illegal and sows the seeds of insecurity and terror.

Raytheon and RSL provide a major function at the "Star Wars" facility at Fylingdales, Yorkshire, being at the forefront of installing the radar upgrade to be used in the US National Missile "Defence" programme.

This system has already provoked global instability, and will provoke arms proliferation, a space arms race, and gives the US the ability to strike with impunity. It puts the UK at the frontline in future wars.

RSL profiteers from the so called "war on terror" contributing to the killing of innocent civilians in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Meanwhile the Raytheon 9 are facing trial in Derry for having taken action at RSL to save lives of innocent civilians in Lebanon. The 9 are innocent, unlike RSL who manufacture the guidance and control systems and tail kits for the GBU-28 bunker busting bombs - at least 100 of which were urgently flown by US to Israel during the height of Israels July war '06 on Lebanon.

We ask what has RSL done to ensure it does not happen again?

Those murdered in Qana, Lebanon, by using MK-84 Laser Guided bombs manufactured by Raytheon, can not be brought back.

Raytheon is a key part of the US's military-industrial complex and a major manufacturer of Israeli weapons. In providing for the Israeli arsenal, Raytheon has an active role in enabling Israeli forces to engage in practices that violate international law and the human rights of Palestinians.

Those companies involved in making munition components have a responsibility to ensure they are not facilitating and committing war crimes. Raytheon systems Ltd are accountable and we demand RSL shows informed corporate leadership with this regard.

Raytheon expands it's destructive work beyond earth, being at frontline of helping space be militarised through Star Wars. The system will tie the UK more tightly to US foreign and military policy. Missile defence is about control - and is part of the US military strategy for "Full Spectral Dominance" which means dominance of land, sea, air, space and information - and RSL is enabling this to happen.

The US is reportedly stockpiling Raytheon Tomahawk missiles in preparation for a possible attack on Iran.

Any attack is in RSL's own interests. It profits from the promotion of global conflict, whilst others live in terror.