Waihopi Spy Base in New Zealand successfully attacked by "Waihopai Anzac Ploughshares"

They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift sword against nation; and there shall be no more training for war. Isaiah 2/4

New Zealand Herald reports a successful attack to damage the plastic weather dome on a satellite communciations station at GCSB Waihopai satellite communications top secret spy base near Blenheim, New Zealand. The station has been identified by MP Keith Locke, and others, as part of ECHELON, the worldwide network of signals interception facilities run by the UKUSA consortium of intelligence agencies." See Close the Waihopi base web page which has the slogan ... "Waihopai does not operate in the national interests of New Zealand or our neigh­bours. Basically it is a foreign spybase on NZ soil and directly involves us in America’s wars. Waihopai must be closed. "

Dominican friar and political activist Peter Murnane joined organic gardener Adrian Leason and Hokianga farmer Sam Land in the early-morning raid in a pea souper fog through 3 wire fences and used sickles to puncture one of two 30m rubber balloons that protect radar aerials from the weather.

Prime Minister Helen Clark called the raid "a senseless act of vandalism", and the head of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) ordered an urgent investigation into the base's security.

Australian-born Peter Murnane provided accommodation in Auckland to Ahmed Zaoui, the Algerian refugee accused of being a terrorist but later cleared. He also has history - spilling blood on the floor of the United States consulate in protest at the Iraq war.

The three men, calling themselves the "Waihopai Anzac Ploughshares", broke through three security fences before attacking the dome with sickles.

They then built a shrine and knelt down in prayer to remember the people killed by United States military activity.

They were remanded in custody after appearing in Blenheim District Court yesterday afternoon charged with causing intentional damage and entering a building with intent to commit a crime.

They said the raid was "responding to the Bush Administration's admission that intelligence gathering is the most important tool in the so-called war on terror".

Green Party MP Keith Locke, who has often protested against the Waihopai base, said his party did not condone criminal acts, but he could "understand the frustration of those who did it".

Global Peace and Justice Auckland spokesman John Minto said the photo of the deflated dome was a "powerful symbol of resistance to New Zealand's role in supporting the so-called war on terror being waged by the US".

More pics
An update says that 2 of the 3 Ploughshares are on hunger strike and Police told Blenheim District Court yesterday they were considering charging the men with sabotage under the Crimes Act, an offence which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' jail.

Damage to the Marlborough base is estimated at more than NZ$1 million.

Read the Statement from the Ploughshares

Here is a good overview of the role of this station plus many links to explain Echelon etc.,