Day 20 – Elbit 8 Trial

Before Defendant (# 8) Nicola Stickels gives evidence, Emily Arnott's uncle Hamish gives character & other evidence on behalf of his niece.

The last member of the Elbit 8 to give evidence today

8 @Pal_action members are prosecuted re: direct action against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada
Snaresbrook Crown Court, London. Supporters outside court this AM.


Began this AM. Today's thread is bring posted belatedly, during lunch.

Day 19 – Elbit 8 Trial

Defendant (# 6) Jocelyn Cooney up next.

We are just entering court now

(There was a sentencing hearing in a different case this AM)

8 @Pal_action members are prosecuted re: direct action against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada
Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
Background:
Supporters outside court, cars honking their horns as they pass by


Full house in the public gallery, some disappointed members of the public must wait outside court room hoping to get in later. I think the busiest it's been thus far, or at least tied for it.

11:05 - Judge enters

Day 18 – Elbit 8 Trial

RR cross-examination finished this AM

8 @Pal_action members are prosecuted re: direct action against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada
Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
Background: …
Four supporters outside courtelectronicintifada.net/content/eight-

10:20 (arrived slightly late) Back to cross-examination of RR by Prosecutor Sally Hobson
[as always, this is not verbatim, this is a partial summary of what was said, quotation marks excluded obv]

Asking again about what a security guard is doing on CCTV. Says it looks like he’s assaulting him. Repeatedly asks what he thinks guard is trying to do, keeps saying need to ask him. Looks like he is assaulting me.
6 days again you’re back again aren’t you?
I was thinking we were going to try to stop Elbit’s “weapons of Mass destruction”
“We were targeting Elbit Systems … to stop them from producing “WMD” not just drones… [Iamar? systems]… “rubber coated steel bullets”, fired at me in the West Bank by an ordinary rifle from Israeli Occupation Police…”
Shot Mohamed Tamimi[spelling?]… fractured his skull, Israeli Occupation Forces… wouldn’t let an ambulance come to him for [2 days?]
6 August did you still cause damage… “You keep calling it damage” “it was a little bit of paint”
Did you cause damage “I sprayed a bit of paint”
Sept you agree you were at that protest? Yes
You agree you were at UAV Engines? Yes, Elbit’s UAV Engines, which produce drones that are used [...]
You needn’t repeat what you said yesterday, it is going to go a lot quicker if you answer
Judge: I think they have got it now

Day 17 – Elbit 8 Trial

Cross-examination of Huda Ammori, by prosecution barrister Sally Hobson, should be finished today, followed by examination in chief of Robin R., the next defendant on the indictment.

8 @Pal_action members are prosecuted re: direct action against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada
Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
Background:
Four supporters outside court
10:40, judge about to enter court.

Day 16 - Elbit 8 Trial

Continued cross-examination of Richard Barnard, first Defendant, by prosecution barrister Sally Hobson, due to start at 10am

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background: Supporters outside
public gallery is packed. There are people who want to sit in who can't. After very brief discussions outside presence of the jury, the jury have been sent for and have just arrived 10:19.

Day 15 - Elbit 8 Trial

Defence case begins today. Jury told to come at 12.

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background:
COURT ADJOURNED TILL 2PM AS JUDGE CONSIDERS MORE LEGAL SUBMISSIONS.

Day 14 - Elbit 8 Trial

Began around 10.00, prosecution should be nearly done w/ it's case. Arrived a bit passed 11am (sorry but I've been exhausted)

Jury recently sent out. Legal arguments being discussed. Judge has just risen. No evidence has been given yet today.

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background:
We are on a brief break, probably to 11.50. I have asked whether defence are likely to start their case today, been told possible but unlikely as, after Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) finish their case, there will be some cross-examination of main detective, Detective Sergeant Matt Hearing, and further legal arguments. So, hopefully, defence will start its case by tomorrow, 1 Dec 2023.

Day 13 - Elbit 8 Trial

Began at 10.30, legal arguments first

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background: electronicintifada.net/content/eight-…
Following nearly an hour of legal students, next prosecution witness is about to be called.

Day 12 - Elbit 8 Trial

Prosecution case to continue, will update as and when.

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada, Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background:
Four supporters outside Snaresbrook this AM
Audio is being of an interview between @AsaWinstanley of @Intifada and an Elbit 8 defendant, Huda Ammori, by the prosecution. The discussion is about the first occupation of Elbit's UAV Engines factory in Shenstone in September 2020 (see prior threads of Day 10 last week)

"This is where they make their engines for the drones" to be used overseas or in Gaza... The heart of their drones.

AW "So this is the factory where the drones are made for their killing machines... did you shut the factory down for the three days whilst you were there?"

HA: "Yes, so no one entered the factory while we were there"

Day 10 - Elbit 8 Trial

Due to start at 11.30, hopefully, to hear evidence before the jury.

Will update as and when I know more

8 @Pal_Action members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 wk trial for @intifada, Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background:
Three of the Elbit 8 defendants

Day 9 - Elbit 8 Trial

Looks like the case may well be postponed for certain administrative reasons. Will advise once I know.

8 Palestine Action (@Pal_Action) members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 week trial for @intifada, Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background here:
When I said postponed I meant for the day. Lawyers may be using the time for more legal arguments outside presence of the jury. If that's the case, I will stay a bit longer if I can observe the arguments and then spend the rest of the day writing on the case thus far.

Day 8 - Elbit 8 Trial

First UK prosecution witness to give evidence today.

8 Palestine Action (@Pal_Action) members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Covering this 6 week trial for @intifada, Snaresbrook Crown Court, London Background here:
After further legal arguments outside jury's presence, the first witness was finally sworn in.

Day 7 - Elbit 8 Trial

CPS to complete their opening statement then onto evidence.

8 Palestine Action (@Pal_Action) members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
Covering this 6 week trial for @intifada. Background here:
Having started later than planned, after 14:00, lead barrister for the CPS, Sally Hobson, continues her opening statement from yesterday. Below are some highlights of what she has said to the jury (she is in fact still speaking):

Day 6 - Elbit 8 Trial

Trial proper due to start today, but there may well be further legal delays. Will update as and when.

8 Palestine Action (@Pal_Action) members are prosecuted re: direct actions against Elbit, Israel's largest private weapons firm

Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
Covering this 6 week trial for @intifada. Background here:
FYI, I have been informed that all other Palestine Action cases in England and Wales have been delayed. The CPS have apparently cited security concerns because of what is currently happening in Palestine. That includes the Shenstone 6 case which was due to start on 6 Nov.

Day 1 of Elbit 8 Trial

8 Palestine Action (@Pal_Action) members are prosecuted in relation to direct actions they took against factories & offices belonging to Elbit Systems, Israel's largest private weapons manufacturer

Snaresbrook Crown Court, London
I will be covering this 6 week trial for @intifada
Read background here:
Outside of Snaresbrook Crown Court around 9.30am this morning

(THREAD) BREAKING: 4 @Pal_action found guilty at Wolverhampton CC, of criminal damage of property of Arconic, 14 June '21 palestineaction.org/grenfell-arcon…. Arconic supplies materials for aircraft used by Israel against Palestinians & cladding in Grenfell Tower. Defence was hamstrung by... ...judge's rulings which ruled out "lawful excuse" defences and other "political" information. It is unclear whether the judge overstepped in the case, but his rulings effectively nullified raising a defence to the jury & explaining the motivation of the direct action taken.

I've just finished watching @IthakaMovie about the prosecution/persecution of Julian Assange. Long, but worth every minute. Very powerful. Captures, I think, the depth of the struggle, the political nature of the case and the emotional toll it takes on all of those involved. Nils Melzer's report on Julian's treatment was tabled in Parliament. So it's an official document in Hansard in Australia, John Shipton says.

Day 2 of USG's appeal against District Judge Venessa Baraitser's refusal to extradite Julian Assange.

Defence team (Respondents) will spend the day focused on rebutting yesterday's arguments by the prosecution (Appellant), with final 30min reserved for the USG. Here is the article by myself and @kgosztola summarising some key points made by the prosecution (Appellant) and defence (Respondent) yesterday.

https://twitter.com/MElmaazi/status/1453483099409485826

Ed Fitzgerald QC began rebutting the USG's arguments yesterday and is due to complete today.

1/4 @WilkieMP & Christensen MP visited #JulianAssange @ Belmarsh for 90min
Wilkie says:
1) #Assange is confined to his cell 20hrs+/day
2) "Absolutely no doubt" he's a "political prisoner" & US is determined to extradite him "to get even" for exposing "hard evidence of war crimes" 2/4
3) The solution "must be political"
4) It's "madness" UK is "even entertaining" a court case
5) #Assange's incarceration/potential prosecution for Espionage is "an absolute scandal"
6) Australian PM should speak to Trump/Johnson to end this
7) Assange did nothing wrong.

Exposé: Britain has created a large-scale information secret service in Europe, US & Canada, from political, military, academic & journalistic communities with the think tank in London at the head of it. cyberguerrilla.org/blog/operation…

@MaxBlumenthal @BenjaminNorton

h/t @ShoebridgeC Among the vast array of individuals listed as participating in this massive psyop are the following UK journos:
Deborah Haynes, David Aaronovitch, Dominic Kennedy - The Times
Natalie Nougayrede - The Guardian
Neil Buckley - Financial Times
Jonathan Marcus - BBC
Bruce Jones