Dutch civil inspectors search for nuclear wapons at Volkel military air base

P R E S S  R E L E A S E
Volkel, January 18th, 2003

Around 2.30 PM this afternoon, about one hundred civil inspectiors gained access to the grounds of Volkel military air base in the south east of the Netherlands. According to investigations of several peace groups, there are weapons of mass destruction stored there under US supervision.

Eight policemen with horses were guarding the main gate of the base, however, the civil inspectors gained themselves access on several places at once by cutting through the perimiter fence.

The civil inpectors are from all over Europe, ranging from Finland to the UK, to Belgium.

At the main gate of the base several hundreds of peace activists gathered at the start of the inspections. Speakers came from the Dutch Green Left (Farah Karimi) and Socialist Party (Nico Schouten).

The civil inspections of the US arms of mass destruction stationed at Volkel is initiated by the Anti New War activist Group Netherlands, a peace group formed by more than 200 organisations.

The initiative is in synch with demonstrations held in the US, where January 18th is Martin Luther King day, a national anti war day. Around the globe more groups are supporting the protests with demonstrations, pickets and civil inspections.

Core reason for these global actions is the strange fact that the US government expects of Irak to show all they have in relation to weapons of mass destruction, while they themselves keep their own information and arms top secret. If Irak has to openly show their weapons and their plans, so should the US, and with them all governments supporting the US claims and policy, accouring to the Dutch Anti New War group.

For those who speak Dutch: you can find more news on the Dutch demonstrations going on at: http://vredessite.nl/nieuweoorlog/2003/acties1801.html or at:http://www.wereldcrisis.nl en http://vredessite.nl

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