Vandenberg
Air Force Base, California, July 7, 2000 (3 p.m. PST) - The Greenpeace
ship MV Arctic Sunrise has arrived in waters designated as hazardous for
this evening's test of the Star Wars missile system. The ship is holding
its course about 170 miles off Point Sal, Calif, in an area where a stage
of the Minuteman II missile will be jettisoned.
The Arctic Sunrise has launched four inflatable boats from the ship with
activists carrying large banners reading "Stop Star Wars." In open boats,
on choppy waters the activists are exposing themselves to the dangers
of the test. They are steering a random course within the exclusion zone.
Meanwhile, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, seven Greenpeace activists remain
in place near the launch pad for a Minuteman II. Three have been on the
base since early Wednesday morning and four entered it early this morning.
They are equipped, trained and prepared to stay inside for several days.
"Greenpeace is sending a last minute call to President Clinton: Scrap
this test and scrap the entire Star Wars program," said Greenpeace spokesperson
John Sprange aboard the Arctic Sunrise. |
