Jarvis Ryan, in Alice Springs, reports that defendants in the "Pine Gap 4" trial are celebrating after receiving only relatively minor fines, despite being found guilty of breaking into a US military base in Central Australia.

The four defendants—Donna Mulhearn, Bryan Law, Jim Dowling and Adele Goldie—broke into the Pine Gap base near Alice Springs in December 2005 to draw attention to the facility's role in providing information to US warplanes conducting bombing raids in the Middle East.

Attorney-general Philip Ruddock and federal prosecutors sought a harsh sentence, invoking the Cold War-era Defence (Special Undertakings) Act for the first time in its 55-year history. Breaking this law carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment.

The activists did not contest the facts presented to the Northern Territory Supreme Court. They admitted that they had broken into the facility and photographed it.

Instead they defended their actions on political and humanitarian grounds, saying they were attempting to stop the killing of innocent people.

Speaking before the sentencing, Donna Mulhearn was upbeat: "We are very happy with what we’ve achieved. We put the war [in Iraq] on trial—we were able to present evidence such as a photo of an Iraqi girl maimed by an aerial bombing."

Unfortunately the judge, Sally Thomas, ruled such evidence as inadmissible, saying it asked jurors to pass judgment on public policy.

However she seemed to take the protesters' rationale into account when delivering her sentence. She acknowledged that the defendants "were very genuine in the cause they sought to espouse". She also noted that no one was harmed as a result of the actions.

The same cannot be said for the actions of George Bush, Tony Blair and John Howard.

Speaking outside the court after sentencing, Donna said: “We're really relieved but we need to continue the work of drawing attention to Pine Gap and its role in the war in Iraq.

“The use of the /Defence (Special Undertakings) Act/ was excessive and it was an extreme response to this situation by a government that’s under pressure.

“I’m glad the judge decided to use some common sense in not using the full sentencing she had open to her.”

Adele Goldie reminded people that, “there is a war still going on and that base is involved in it, not only in Iraq but in Afghanistan.

“There are continual bombing campaigns and civilians being killed. It didn't stop in 2003—it’s going on now.

Bryan Law said the conviction would not deter him from continuing his campaign against militarism: “The US-Australian war games in Shoalwater Bay [off the Queensland coast] start next week—25,000 troops practising to invade another country. I'll be there. I hope everybody else is too.”

The Pine Gap 4 are satisfied with the impact they have made and hope it will inspire others. “I'd like to encourage non-violent resistance in whatever form people can do it,” said Jim Dowling.

“The presence of the Australian head of the base and numerous security officials in the court for three weeks shows what an impact one small action by a small group of people can have.”

For more information visit www.pinegap6.org.

For more information on the Shoalwater Bay protest, visit
www.peaceconvergence.com