Rossport 5 member badly beaten in middle of night

by Arm-a-Gedden Fri Apr 24, 2009 23:11

Our best wishes to Willie and his Family, and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Best wishes to all the S2S campaigners, keep up the pressure, dont be drawn into a violent conflict as this is how these thugs operate,and would love to see happening.

From what we have been reading about this assault on Willie Corduff and taking all the evidence and arguements into consideration it points not only to a vicious assault, but possibly attempted Murder. This is a grave and a very sinister event, one wonders what our wonderful force an garda siochana are doing about this,apart from supporting $hell and drawing their overtime, is it being investigated properly? probably not as one only has to point their finger towards Donegal and the Morris Tribunal.

This so called government has really shown its true colours,and they are most certainly not Green,White, and Gold but rather a very smelly Yellow,in other words let a rotton Multinational take presidence over its own citizens, and who gives thugs who call themselves security men carte blanche, these are the actions of a Bannana Republic.

FG, are staying very quiet about this are they too in the melting pot of corruption, it does make you wonder.
The Greens well they will obey thy master F/Fail, Green energy what a crowd of jokers.

And just for CL in case any of you dident see it.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/91799

by CL Fri Apr 24, 2009 15:39

I posted this in other thread, but just for those of you who didnt see it.

On Thursday last word on Today FM, John Monaghan of Pobal Chill Chomáin misled the Nation, when he claimed that both incidents at Glengad happened within a half hour of each other, and that Willie was alone when he was “attacked” by masked men.
He would have known that there was at least 3 hours between both, and that pete Lavelle was with Willie at the time.
He was well aware at the time that it was security that removed Willie from the compound, and he should also have known that the securities always video record such actions.
No doubt the Gardai will already have viewed that video footage, and the true story will soon be known.
Mr Monaghan can be heard if you follow the link below, at 25 min into clip. The Garda’s version is just before that.

http://www.radioireland.ie/lastword/2342009-16.wmv

by old codger - pensioner Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:19

When we have moronic traitors that will sacrifice their country to foriegn multi national interests making little of brave people standing up for their rights it is a bad sign for Irelands future. It is time for the decent people to take a stand against the traitors in our midst wether they are politicians, Gardai,Irish Ranger mercenary, warped media, a way must be found to deliver the truth to the public.
Superintendant Mcnamara said the attack on the compound was a military operation, he should be asked publically, does he think that ex Irish Rangers are capable of organising a military operation?
The politicians must answer as to why they are turning a blind eye to blatent crimes being committed against the public .
Berties Monkey, the guy that climbed every tree in the country looking for Ray Burke,must explain why he allows mercenaries to operate in Ireland.

by Michelle Fri Apr 24, 2009 02:05

The people need to know, Who did the men in the balaclavas work for ?

by shea Fri Apr 24, 2009 01:55

say's in the s2s statement his brother inlaw was with him, got beaten and got his ear bitten.

raiseing the morality of the issue won't end it. they'll move on. there used to be pickets on the shell and staoil stations, shell should be hit in there pocket, i believe if people get phisical shell will win and some young fella will get a few years in jail but if shell where hit in there pocket even if they spin it, there still hit in there pocket. they have to be thaught that theres consequences. a proper stike, not something for an hour on a saturday, around the clock start closeing them down. i know they changed the name to topaz and franchised out the running of stations but still. there has to be some punishment.

by Peter Fri Apr 24, 2009 00:46

Why was Willie Corduff left alone at the specific time of the alleged beating. Didn't he have friends with him throughout the duration of his vigil, under the truck ? Why are there no witnesses to the beating ?

Im On Willie's side . Get the full story out. Somebody must have seen the beating.

by shea Thu Apr 23, 2009 23:57

sorry someone other than the garda took corduff out from under the truck? are they raiseing the stakes to force it through. people are just going to have to prepare to defend them selves, what ever that means, they'll win if it comes to phisical force, but at the same time the stakes are being raised, did the people in the bally's have irish accents? name and shame any irish person who works on that sight and any forgiener name and shame them on like minded internet sights in there own country.

by Miriam Thu Apr 23, 2009 16:38

Sent earlier today before I realised Corduff had been attacked:

Dear Joe

I hope you are well.

This is a public communication - any reply to it will be published.

I'm wondering how RTE.ie can even begin to justify its online coverage of the dispute in Co Mayo? Your reports are consistently one-sided and weighted heavily in favour of the Shell/government position. You never mention the frequent Garda brutality experienced by so many of the local people who are trying to protect their livelihoods and their environment. Your one line reference to the events of yesterday in the report linked to below makes no mention of the bashing of one persons ankle with a rock or that he was punched into the groin. It also fails to mention that another protestor's head was repeatedly bashed against the ground.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0423/corrib.html

You now tell us that '15 armed and masked men' broke into the Shell compound last night. Where is the evidence for this? The Shell to Sea protest has been resolutely peaceful and non-violent as a matter of principle. Certainly the violence directed at them yesterday can hardly have amounted to good publicity for Shell or the government.

Garda violence is routinely referred to by RTE as 'confrontation' or 'clashes' when in fact it is unprovoked violence from the Gardai themselves. Your report also omits to say that Shell workers were unable to show a permit to begin the destruction of the habitat which local people were trying to prevent from happening yesterday.

Why have we not seen a single RTE report or discussion about the desirability of renegotiating or nationalising our oil and gas resources at a time when the Irish people are suffering so much economic stress and loss? Why are our Gardai being deployed against Irish citizens on behalf of foreign companies like Statoil and Royal Dutch Shell, the citizens of whose native countries will benefit more from these resources than the Irish will themselves.

RTE's record on this matter is shameful.

I'd be grateful for your considered reply.

Yours sincerely
Miriam Cotton
Editor
MediaBite

by James Kelly Thu Apr 23, 2009 16:29

RTE TV 'News at One' interviewed a senior Gardai. In broad outline, he stated that he supported the right to peaceful protest but condemned the 15 member balaclava "military style operation" and commented that Shell security had to "run away" from the hudded and armed gang.

The newscaster then thanked him for his time and that was the end of the "report".

I filed a complaint with Newstalk over a crawling one sided interview by Eamon Keane with a member of the Gardai. No acknowledgment and no surprise from the author of the complaint.

The usual spin was spun, from the state/corporate media outlets.

It seems to me that it is well past the time that a national campaign to advertise the websites was launched.

by Miriam Thu Apr 23, 2009 15:32

I posted another thread earlier but its vanished. Intention was to make a specific charge against the media to get this story right while it is happening and to make it publicly clear that specific, responsibile individuals working in the media have no excuse for not telling it like it is. Here's another letter sent this PM to Fintan O' Toole, Assistant Editor of The Irish Times:

"Dear Fintan

This letter is for publication and any reply which you may send.

I sincerely hope that the Irish Times is going to do full justice to the true story of the disgraceful and violent events which took place in Mayo yesterday. The reporting from RTE today is nothing short of an outrage in its omission of the facts and bias towards Shell Oil. Mysteriously men in black clothing have turned up in balaclavas BOTH to attack and beat one of the local residents, Willie Corduff (now recovering in Mayo General Hospital - winner of the Goldman Prize ) AND to enter the Shell depot and do unspecified damage there. The latter is now being blamed on the protestors who had nothing whatever to do with it. Is the media going to stand by this? Notwithstanding Peter Murtagh's insulting and ill-informed attack on Maura Harrington following her recent incarceration, I sincerely hope The Irish Times has enough integrity to approach this issue with the honesty and attention to detail that it deserves. An account of the incidents last night and yesterday can be found here:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92025

I'd be grateful for a response.

With best wishes etc"

by old codger - pensioner Thu Apr 23, 2009 14:40

It Is obvious that the gardai have supported Shell IRMS mercenary thugs to greaviously harm Willie as a warning to all that they mean business this time.
The superintendant made statements on RTE news that armed masked men had attacked the compound and done considerable damage. He made no mention about Willie.
I believe that this was a deliberate plan and that they will start quoting the myth about IRA involment again to discredit the protesters and frighten the general public.
What we are facing now is unprecedented in the free state history when the Gardai and foriegn mercenary's led by ex Irish Rangers are fighting against the interests and safety of the community.
If the people retaliate in kind it should be aimed at the top dogs more so than their minions.

by S2S - Shell to Sea Thu Apr 23, 2009 14:23

"I thought they were trying to kill me. They beat me until I stopped moving. I heard one of them say, 'Stop now lads, he's nearly finished.' " – Willie Corduff

Shell to Sea is appalled at the vicious and brutal attack that was made on Rossport 5 member Willie Corduff by Shell security force wearing balaclavas last night. Willie had been under that truck on the Glengad site for 16 hours, when at approximately 3:00am IRMS security wearing balaclavas moved in to forcibly remove him. Subsequently an ambulance was called and brought him to Castlebar Hospital, where he still remains. Today is the second anniversary of the day that Willie Corduff won the Goldman Environmental prize.

A local resident who was present that the time stated that he saw the masked security men push Willie to the ground and start kicking him and hitting him with large batons. They knelt on his head and twisted his arms behind his back as they beat him. His brother-in-law attempted to aid Willie but was pushed back repeatedly and forcibly removed by the masked Shell security into an adjacent field where he was then knocked to the ground, kicked and beaten.

Shell to Sea Spokesperson Terence Conway stated: “This was a vicious and cowardly attack by this group of balaclava-wearing Shell mercenaries in the middle of the night, on a brave member of our community, Willie Corduff, who was peacefully protesting the illegality of this project. The only violence that happened in Glengad last night was carried out by Shell security”

Serious concerns as to the background of security personnel in Erris have been raised in the wake of the death of a former Shell security contract worker who worked in Glengad, Michael Dwyer, as part of an alleged plot to assassinate the Bolivian President, Evo Morales.

Earlier last night at approximately 11:30pm, the fencing that Shell contractors had unlawfully put up that day was removed. During the day, the local community actively opposed the fencing work, as there is no planning permission for the work in Glengad.

Allegations that protestors entered Glengad site carrying iron bars and chains, or that any security personnel was harmed, are absolutely untrue.

Mr Conway continued, “It has become common practice to falsely accuse us of violence, in order to cover up the brutality that is inflicted upon us. This work in Glengad is totally illegal but all of our attempts to raise the illegality of these works have fallen on deaf Government ears. Repeated request to see the permissions for these works have been ignored.”

For verification and further comment contact:

Terence Conway - ****************
Maura Harrington - ****************

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Goldman Environmental Prize and Willie Corduff: http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/605

by Miriam Cotton Thu Apr 23, 2009 14:04

I hadn't seen this thread when I posted the open letter to Joe Zefran at RTE earlier on another thread. This puts another perspective on things. Disgusting.

by SinnFeinPress Thu Apr 23, 2009 13:50

The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Natural Resources Martin Ferris TD has condemned the heavy handed manner in which the Shell led Corrib Gas consortium this morning attempted to proceed with their efforts to establish a landfall for the proposed pipeline at Glengad in County Mayo. There were reports of large numbers of security personnel and Gardaí being involved following a long stand off with locals concerned about the environmental and safety impact of the project.
The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Natural Resources Martin Ferris TD has condemned the heavy handed manner in which the Shell led Corrib Gas consortium this morning attempted to proceed with their efforts to establish a landfall for the proposed pipeline at Glengad in County Mayo. There were reports of large numbers of security personnel and Gardaí being involved following a long stand off with locals concerned about the environmental and safety impact of the project.

Deputy Ferris said: “Reports from Glengad would appear to indicate that Shell is continuing to attempt to bully its way around Mayo in contradiction to their claim that they are interested in dialogue. The project is clearly unpopular and as presently structured will bring little economic benefit to this state at a time when the gas and the potential revenue would constitute a major boost to the economy.” ENDS

by Miriam Thu Apr 23, 2009 13:17

Reg - Zefran is news editor of RTE.ie - not the main radio/tv broadcast news.

by reg Thu Apr 23, 2009 13:06

you really need to address this it to the rte news editor, zefran is merely a link and news wires xerox monkey for the websites. not the tv/radio news itself.

by Feaebolg - S2S Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:58

It's vital that the Shell medic who attended to Willie immediately after the beating is identified straight away. His evidence will be

important before this is over. Going by the misleading Garda statement and press coverage, this is going to be another massive cover-

up. Let's all get together and come up with ideas on how, this time, we can beat the suppression.

by J Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:43

Incident at Shell compound at Glengad, Belmullet, Mayo on the 22/4/09.

Gardai in Belmullet are investigating an incident which occurred at the Shell compound at Glengad, Belmullet.

Gardai in Belmullet, Co. Mayo are investigating an incident which occurred at the Shell compound at Glengad, Belmullet at approximately 11.30pm, last night, the 22/4/09.

Up to 15 men wearing balaclavas and armed with iron bars and chains entered the compound and threatened the security staff.

A digger which was secured on the site was started by the intruders and used to cause damage.

One member of the security staff received an injury to his arm and received medical attention.

A protester who was present on the site since yesterday was this morning removed from the compound by security staff. He was taken to hospital by ambulance as a precaution.

Garda Press Office

23rd April 2009 9.23am

by J Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:40

=

Gardai at the illegal compound this morning

by J Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:39

=

Barded wire fence taken down

Willie's blankets scattered across the site

Shell private security at the scene of their crimes

by WH Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:22

Willie Corduff's beating by men in balaclavas comes on the second anniversary of his receiving the Goldman Environmental Prize. He received the prize in San Francisco on April 22nd, 2007. In the subsequent days he and his wife Mary travelled to Washington, where they met with members of the US Senate and Congress, including Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, the third in line to the US presidency. He also had meetings with representatives from Amnesty International, the National Geographic Society, the World Wildlife Fund and other powerful lobby groups.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said in 2007 it was "with wonder and awe at the tremendous accomplishments and incredible bravery that I salute the Goldman Prize winners. Their conviction and courage are an inspiration. In the face of overwhelming odds, sometimes even putting their own lives at risk, they stand up for their communities, for justice, and for the environment.”

Willie Corduff meets Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US Congress, at a luncheon on Capitol Hill, Washington DC on Thursday, April 26th, 2007. Four days earlier Corduff was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco. (Pic: Stephen Mills, Sierra

by S2S and Corduff Supporter Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:15

RTE Radio news has reported that no arrests were made as a result of the "considerable damage" done by the masked men. Given the enthusiasm with which Gardai arrest and bring public order offences against conscientious protestors, I find this very strange.

Perhaps someone closer to events on the ground (than I am) can explain?

by sm Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:53

WILLIE CORDUFF IN HOSPITAL AFTER SEVERE BEATING BY MASKED MEN AT SHELL PIPELINE SITE
Share
Today at 11:47am
News Release
Issued by Dublin Shell to Sea
April 23rd, 2009
For immediate release

WILLIE CORDUFF IN HOSPITAL AFTER SEVERE BEATING BY MASKED MEN AT SHELL PIPELINE SITE

-- Goldman Environmental Prize winner was trying to block work on pipeline --

-- Shell still has no planning permission for this section of pipeline --

Mayo farmer and anti-Shell protester Willie Corduff is recovering in hospital after being badly beaten by at least six men in balaclavas and dark clothing at the site where Shell is attempting to lay an onshore, high-pressure pipeline

Corduff, one of the Rossport Five and winner of the 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize, was dragged from under a truck at around 3.45am on Thursday morning by at least six men who then beat him viciously about the head and knees.

"I thought they were trying to kill me," Corduff said. "They beat me until I stopped moving. I heard one of them say, 'Stop now lads, he's nearly finished.' "

It is unclear whether these men were employees of I-RMS, the company providing security for Shell's operations in north Mayo. Security personnel and gardai were nearby at the time of the attack.

Corduff, a 55-year-old grandfather, was taken by ambulance to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar, where he is being treated for his injuries. He has undergone several x-rays. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Corduff and two other local men had climbed under the truck at midday on Wednesday in an attempt to halt work at the site at Glengad. The other two men were removed but Corduff vowed to stay under the truck until he had evidence that Shell had authorisation for their work. He said gardai threw stones at him to in an attempt to remove him.

Locals kept a vigil near the truck, but by 3.45am, several of them had left to get food, leaving only Corduff's brother-in-law, Pete Lavelle. At least six men in dark clothing and balaclavas dragged Corduff out and beat him violently. Lavelle witnessed the incident and when he tried to come to Corduff's assistance, he was also beaten by the men. He reported being bitten on the ear.

Lavelle said he could not identify the men as being part of Shell's security. He said one of the men was using a leather-covered baton to beat Mr Corduff.

I-RMS has been criticised by campaigners because its staff have not displayed any identification, in contravention of the law governing security personnel.

Caoimhe Kerins of Dublin Shell to Sea said: "This is not just an attempt to intimidate local people from protesting against Shell's experimental inland refinery and pipeline, it's also an attempt to provoke a violent reaction. Gardai and Shell security have been trying to provoke violence for several years now, but local people and their supporters have shown incredible restraint. All the violence, intimidation and abuse has been directed at protestors by gardai and I-RMS [security]."

"Willie Corduff and others have been beaten for trying to block illegal work and for trying to highlight the giveaway of 540 billion euro worth of gas and oil from fields under Irish waters in the Atlantic. Former ministers Ray Burke and Bertie Ahern changed the law to suit the oil multinationals and this mess is the result of that," she said.

On Wednesday, Shell had attempted to resume work on the controversial pipeline. Work had stopped in 2008. The company still does not have planning permission for the section of pipeline which would bring the gas to the proposed inland refinery at Bellanaboy.

Willie Corduff

Willie Corduff (55), a father of six and a grandfather, was jailed for 94 days in 2005 for refusing Shell access to his land to lay the high-pressure pipeline. The legal stance of Corduff and the Rossport Five was subsequently vindicated in a High Court ruling by Justice Mary Laffoy in April 2007. She ruled that Shell could not proceed with the original pipeline without the consent of the landowners. Shell is still seeking planning permission to lay the pipeline along this route, which crosses the land of Willie Corduff, other members of the Rossport Five and other landowners who object to it.

Two years ago today, on April 23rd, 2007, Corduff was in San Francisco to receive the Goldman Environmental Prize, the world's most valuable environmental prize. In that week, he met with members of the US Senate and Congress, including Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. He also had meetings with representatives from Amnesty International, the National Geographic Society, the World Wildlife Fund and other powerful lobby groups.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said in 2007 it was "with wonder and awe at the tremendous accomplishments and incredible bravery that I salute the Goldman Prize winners. Their conviction and courage are an inspiration. In the face of overwhelming odds, sometimes even putting their own lives at risk, they stand up for their communities, for justice, and for the environment.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Goldman Environmental Prize and Willie Corduff:
http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/605

Recent article in US magazine, The Nation:
Environmental Showdown on the Irish Coast
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090427/zaitchik?rel=hp_c...ently

www.shelltosea.com

by Miriam Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:45

Meant to put this link in first post:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92020&comment_limit=0&c...50337

by Joe Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:37

The RTE audio report says the Gardai reported the '15 man raid' to have taken place at 11pm. And they are reporting that 'at 4am' Willie was "removed from under the truck".

Given the 5 hour time difference and the soft "removed from under the truck" phrase used by RTE I think its pretty clear not only that the events are seperate but that the reporter had been told those doing the removing were Gardai / Shell or some combination of both. Otherwise they'd have described the assault in very different terms.

by Sm Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:34

this is just in from rte and irish times online

"Up to 15 men, masked and armed with iron bars and chains, attacked the Shell gas terminal at Bellanaboy, Co Mayo, overnight.

Gardaí say the men used a company digger on the site and caused considerable damage to the compound.

The area has been sealed off for technical examination.
Advertisement

Yesterday, a Shell to Sea protestor placed himself under a truck at the entrance to the site where security fencing was being erected."

This is starting to smell pretty bad.... a mocked up site invasion to give cover to the beating of Willie?

by Miriam Cotton Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:27

No mention of Garda violence against protestors on 22 April
RTE are currently reporting that 15 'armed and masked men' broke into the Shell compound in Mayo last night. This is alleged to have happened following a day in which local people and their supporters tried to prevent Shell from proceeding with the destruction of a protected habitat without being able to produce a licence - as reported here on Indymedia yesterday. Funny how there is no mention of the Garda violence to the protestors yesterday. RTE's coverage of these events and the Corrib issue in general is - or should be - a serious concern to everyone.
The following is an open letter sent to Joe Zefran at RTE.ie today:

Dear Joe

I hope you are well.

This is a public communication - any reply to it will be published.

I'm wondering how RTE.ie can even begin to justify its online coverage of the dispute in Co Mayo? Your reports are consistently one-sided and weighted heavily in favour of the Shell/government position. You never mention the frequent Garda brutality experienced by so many of the local people who are trying to protect their livelihoods and their environment. Your one line reference to the events of yesterday in the report linked to below makes no mention of the bashing of one persons ankle with a rock or that he was punched into the groin. It also fails to mention that another protestor's head was repeatedly bashed against the ground.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0423/corrib.html

You now tell us that '15 armed and masked men' broke into the Shell compound last night. Where is the evidence for this? The Shell to Sea protest has been resolutely peaceful and non-violent as a matter of principle. Certainly the violence directed at them yesterday can hardly have amounted to good publicity for Shell or the government.

Garda violence is routinely referred to by RTE as 'confrontation' or 'clashes' when in fact it is unprovoked violence from the Gardai themselves. Your report also omits to say that Shell workers were unable to show a permit to begin the destruction of the habitat which local people were trying to prevent from happening yesterday.

Why have we not seen a single RTE report or discussion about the desirability of renegotiating or nationalising our oil and gas resources at a time when the Irish people are suffering so much economic stress and loss? Why are our Gardai being deployed against Irish citizens on behalf of foreign companies like Statoil and Royal Dutch Shell, the citizens of whose native countries will benefit more from these resources than the Irish will themselves.

RTE's record on this matter is shameful.

I'd be grateful for your considered reply.

Yours sincerely
Miriam Cotton
Editor
MediaBite

by sm Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:18

A STAND-OFF was continuing last night at the north Mayo landfall for the Corrib gas pipeline following Shell EP Ireland’s decision to resume work in the locality.

Rossport resident Willie Corduff lodged himself under a truck delivering security fencing to Glengad beach, and refused requests by gardaí and Shell security to leave.

Mr Corduff and fellow residents said they were questioning the company’s authority to carry out preparatory works for the offshore pipeline at Glengad without planning permission from Mayo County Council.

Terence Conway of Mayo Shell to Sea said that Mr Corduff had been injured and was in some distress.

Mr Corduff, who was jailed with four men for 94 days in 2005 over opposition to the pipeline, told The Irish Times he intended to stay where he was until he had evidence that Shell had authorisation for their work.

He said he was “very cold and sore”, and claimed he had been “badly abused” by local gardaí, who had used stones and verbal threats to try and remove him from under the truck. “It is very sad that our local guards should resort to this,” he said. “We are just asking for a bit of justice.”

However, gardaí denied residents’ claims that stones had been thrown by a member of the force at Mr Corduff in an attempt to remove him.

Chief Supt Tony McNamara, head of the Mayo division, said he would “refute such allegations”, and said the safety of all concerned was paramount.

He said he was satisfied that the preparatory work at Glengad was exempt from the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, following information received from Mayo County Council.

The Department of the Environment said that it was satisfied with the plans to erect fencing at the beach and netting to prevent sand martins nesting on the Glengad – which is a special area of conservation.

However, Labour Party president Michael D Higgins said the netting was in breach of the EU birds directive. He said Minister for the Environment John Gormley had “no interest” in maintaining the independence and integrity of heritage, and specifically the National Parks and Wildlife Service, to ensure the environment was protected.

The stand-off began at about midday yesterday, six hours after Shell contractors and security returned to Glengad.

Shell EP Ireland did not respond to requests by The Irish Times to comment on the situation yesterday.

The company had indicated that it would resume work on laying the offshore pipeline following approval of an environmental management plan on April 9th by Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan – several days after direct mediation talks involving Shell, two Government Ministers and two community groups collapsed.

However, actual notice of the return to work at Glengad was only given to the department late on Tuesday night, and a letter was delivered to local residents, also on Tuesday.

Residents, including Colm Henry whose house overlooks the beach, said they were woken at 6.30am by heavy machinery.

At about 8.45am, Mr Corduff and another resident attempted to stop one of the trucks transporting security fencing via an access route to the beach.

The two men then crawled under the truck.

One of the two men was removed by gardaí, but Mr Corduff lodged himself in and refused to leave.

Last year Shell abandoned attempts to lay the offshore pipeline from Broadhaven Bay out to sea following reported “technical difficulties”, weather factors and an uncertain legal situation involving fishing rights.

Protests had been held at Glengad throughout the summer.

by T Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:13

This so called raid by 15 men doesn't seem to add up. It is totally out of style with the campaign and the fact that they beat up W. Corduff suggests it is more sinister along the lines of a undercover attack by elements related to Shell in order to swing public opinion in their favour.

by david Thu Apr 23, 2009 09:55

RTE are reporting that 'up to 15' masked men in balaclavas used a digger to damage the shell site last night. there is no report of any assault on Mr Corduff

by Paul J Thu Apr 23, 2009 09:47

From what we now know about a deceased former member of security this is not out of line with what we should expect.

by sm Thu Apr 23, 2009 09:31

an more info out there on this. Seems like a serious offense and change of style