Three Swedish peace activists have been remanded in custody following an attempt to disarm Britain's newest Trident submarine. They were arrested on Sunday morning inside the construction yard at Barrow in Cumbria where they had begun to dismantle equipment. The latest submarine is due to be launched and named HMS Vengeance on Saturday 19 September. CND is organising a protest against the launch.
The three who were arrested were from the "Bread Not Bombs ploughshares" group. They were arrested and charged with "conspiracy to commit criminal damage". On Monday 14 September they appeared in Barrow Magistrates Court and were remanded into custody until their next court appearance, on Monday 21 September.
The two women -- Annika Spalde and Ann-Britt Sternfeldt -- are now in Risley prison; Stellan Vinthagen is in Preston prison.
The three are: Annika Spalde, 29, a nurse studying International Relations at Gothenburg University; Stellan Vinthagen, 33, a Peace Researcher at Gothenburg University; and Ann-Britt Sternfeldt, 38, from Länghem, an ex-town-councillor, a writer and an administrator for an Aid Charity working in the Gambia.
They attended the recent Trident Ploughshares 2000 camp in Scotland.
The prisoners' addresses are as follows:
Stellan Vinthagen
HMP Preston
2 Ribbleton Lane
Preston
PR1 5AB
England
Annika Spalde and Ann-Britt Sternfeldt,
HMP Risley
617 Warrington Road
Risley
Warrington
WA3 6BP
People wishing to visit the prisoners must phone the Liverpool Catholic Worker first on 0151 264 8741 and then contact the relevant prison.
For futher information email stephen@gn.apc.org
Swedish contact: +46 31 711 0316
copies of their statements at:
http://www.plowshare.se/bnb/english.htm
Seven other ploughshares activists are being held in jail in Scotland.