6th December 2006

Anti Arms trade Campaigners Plan Party to Celebrate Brighton Arm's Businesses' Closure

Smash EDO Press Release

Contact Andrew Beckett or Sarah Johnson For more
Details

Email - smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk, tel 07875708873

www.smashedo.org.uk

Anti Arms trade Campaigners Plan Party to Celebrate Brighton Arm's Businesses' Closure

Smash EDO are holding a 'Masked Ball' on Wednesday 6th December to celebrate the discontinuance of EDO rugged systems, one of the businesses operating out of EDO MBM in Home Farm Road Brighton.

Smash EDO have campaigned for over three years for the closure of EDO MBM who supply weapons to the Israeli military for their assault on the Palestinians and for the US/UK led occupation of Iraq.

EDO MBM, a wholly owned unit of the US EDO Corporation has performed dismally in 2006. Since March 2006 EDO have lost a major High Court suit against anti-war protesters in Brighton UK, which caused the resignation of EDO MBM Managing Director David Jones, have been implicated in a high level Pentagon sleaze and corruption scandal involving EDO Director and former CIA man Dennis Blair who was also forced to resign, have been sued for Racial Discrimination and have lost vital orders from the US military for its flagship Warlock counter measure system that appears to have serious security flaws.

EDO Corporation made a net loss in the first financial quarter of this year and failed to hit targets in the second quarter and third quarter of 2006. In early November James Smith, CEO of EDO Corp, announced the discontinuance of their 'Rugged Systems' (http://www.edombmrugged.co.uk/working.html) line (listen to the announcement at http://www.vcall.com/IC/ClientPage.asp?ID=109393)

The discontinuance of 'Rugged Systems' will be a major blow to the embattled Brighton factory.

Smash EDO Press Spokeswoman Sarah Johnson said 'EDO's poor performance shows that they have been damaged by our campaign, I would like to invite everybody to come and celebrate the end of Rugged Systems at our Victory Masquerade next Wednesday'.

At Smash EDO's last large demonstration 100 protesters, in Halloween costumes, converged on the factory.

Smash EDO will continue to protest until EDO MBM shuts down completely or converts to non-military production.

Contact Andrew Beckett or Sarah Johnson For more
Details

Email - smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk, tel 07875708873

Notes for Journalists

Brighton & Hove is a UN Peace Messenger City

EDO MBM Technologies Ltd are the sole UK subsidiary of huge U.S arms conglomerate EDO Corp, which was
recently named No. 10 in the Forbes list of 100
fastest growing companies. They supply bomb release
mechanisms to the US and UK armed forces amongst
others. They supply crucial components for Raytheon's Paveway guided bomb system, widely used in the "Shock and Awe" campaign in Iraq.
Campaign against EDO MBM.

EDO MBM makes electrical weapons components for the
Israeli military. EDO MBM manufactures components to be incorporated into the Hellfire missile, which the Israeli army has recently used to attack the civilian population of Gaza. They have organised conferences on the development of UCAVs, unmanned aircraft which are widely used in aerial attacks on Gaza. EDO Corporation, of which EDO MBM Brighton is a wholly owned trading unit, has a direct contract with the Israeli Navy who murdered 10 civilians on a beach near Beit Lahiya, Gaza, earlier this month.

People involved in the anti-EDO campaign include, but are not limited to: local residents, the Brighton Quakers, peace activists, anti-capitalists, Palestine Solidarity groups, human rights groups, trade unionists, academics and students.

The campaign started in August 2004 with a peace camp. It's avowed aim is to expose EDO MBM and their
complicity in war crimes and to remove them from
Brighton.

Contact Andrew Beckett or Sarah Johnson For more
Details

Email - smashedopress@yahoo.co.uk, tel 07875708873
http://www.smashedo.org.uk

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