09/08/2006

Anti-war activists occupy Derry firm

Activists who stormed a leading American software manufacturer in Londonderry earlier today, are still occupying the premises.

The Derry Anti-War Coalition have been throwing computer equipment and documents out of first floor windows, and protesters have said that "weapons manufactured by Raytheon were being used by Israel to bomb Lebanon."

Although the company is a leading weapons manufacturer, which makes Patriot, Tomahawk, Cruise and Sidewinder missiles, the Derry factory is understood to be involved in making software for air traffic control systems and not weaponry.

Nine people forced their way into the Raytheon offices in the Springtown industrial estate, when it opened its doors first thing this morning, while 20 other activists staged a protest outside with placards.

Civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann, today told the BBC: "It's a major supplier of high-tech equipment to Israel and other western forces.

"We see it as a direct relevance to what is happening in the Middle East and we wanted to dramatise our opposition to it."

(EF/SP)

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