LCNP Home

LCNP Home
World Court Project Nuclear Weapons Convention Abolition 2000 Global Action to Prevent War Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Nuclear Energy Middle Powers Initiative About LCNP Publications
Applied Physics Lab Weapons Inspection  Document Heading
filler.gif (854 bytes)
The Baltimore Emergency Response Network (BERN), believing it is hypocritical for the U.S. government to demand weapons inspections in Iraq, but be unwilling to allow access to U.S. installations, formed its own Citizen Weapons Inspection Team to search for evidence of research on weapons of mass destruction at the Applied Physics Laboratory of local Johns Hopkins University.

Wearing "Authorized Citizen Weapons Inspection Team - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory" badges, seven people entered the administration building in an attempt to obtain unfettered access to all areas of weapons research. However, the inspectors were not permitted to meet with APL Director Gary Smith, and were told to leave. Five inspectors who refused were eventually arrested for trespass.

Ellen Barfield, Jen Kipka, and Max Obuszewski were tried and convicted on May 4. All refused to pay a fine and court costs, and were alternately sentenced to jail - ten days each for Barfield and Obuszewski, five days for Kipka. Barfield and Kipka served their time immediately; Obuszewski did later in May. Codefendant Jeri Crum-Vanlandingham did not appear, having sent the court a letter denouncing APL and indicating she had moved to California. A warrant was issued for her arrest. Inspector Doug Matson is scheduled for trial July 1.

For more information, contact BERN, 311 E. 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, (410)323-7200.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Home  |  World Court Project   |  Nuclear Weapons Convention  |  Abolition 2000  |  Global Action to Prevent War

Nuclear Disarmament & Non-Proliferation  |  Nuclear Energy  |   Middle Powers Initiative  |  About LCNP  |  Publications