CPTnet
February 6, 2003
CHICAGO/TORONTO: CPTers convicted on ELF trespassing charges; others facing
upcoming trial dates

On February 3, three members of Christian Peacemaker Teams' summer training
appeared in Federal court as a result of their witness at the against
threat posed by a U.S. nuclear weapons system at the ELF facility in
Wisconsin. ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) is a communications system
designed to provide first strike capacity for Trident nuclear submarines.

Last summer Sister Kathie Uhler, Lisa Brightup and Rev. Carol Rose entered
the ELF facility on August 9--the fifty seventh anniversary of U.S.
destruction of Nagasaki-- and presented workers there with folded paper
peace cranes. At the February 3rd trial, a magistrate in Wisconsin found
them and four other protesters guilty of trespassing and imposed a fine of
$150.

Brightup, of Wichita, Kansas, said in her statement to the court, "The real
crime here isn't that I stepped across a line and offered a symbol of peace.
The real crime is that our country can threaten everyone else with
extinction with the full funding, backing and protection of the US
government."

Uhler, a Franciscan Sister from New York City, defended her action at the
ELF site as consistent with the pacifism of Saint Francis of Assisi, who
would not bring harm to any person or even to the earth, which he called
"Our Mother." Uhler told the court she deplored the fact that the ELF first
strike nuclear system, which has dire international consequences, can be
upheld by a court that purports to address only federal interests.

Rose, of Wichita, Kansas, told the court that principles of both faith and
of law make clear that human beings are ethically responsible to act to
protect the vulnerable, to protect life. "With the president threatening
tactical use of nuclear weapons in the war on Iraq, now is the time to act,"
she said after the trial.

The protracted campaign against Project ELF in which CPT trainees have
participated is beginning to show some signs of success. Senator Russ
Feingold and Rep. Tammy Baldwin have introduced a bill called "The ELF
Termination Act" to congress.

On Monday February 10, CPTer Mark Frey (Chicago, IL) will appear with
seventeen other defendants in federal court in Chicago for a December 10,
2002 action against the war on Iraq. Frey participated in a die-in while
others blocked entry to the Federal Building in downtown Chicago.

On March 11-12, CPTers Jessica Phillips, Char Smith and Mary Yoder will
appear in Chicago's district court for their witness against Boeing. The
three were charged with "dumping" after they poured gallons of non-toxic,
biodegradable, red popsicle food coloring into the Chicago River at Boeing
headquarters to symbolize the bloodshed caused by Boeing's weapons.