SEVEN people have been charged with offences linked to terrorism following a Palestine Action protest at an Elbit Systems UK site.
The Israeli-based defence firm’s site near Patchway, south Gloucestershire, was ram-raided on August 6.
Avon and Somerset Police said a group of people forced their way into the building, using a vehicle to smash through the doors, before employees were “seriously assaulted.”
The force said two of its officers who attended the disruption were also “seriously assaulted in the course of their duties.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said it would be submitting to the court that the alleged offences have a “terrorist connection.”
Samuel Corner, 22, was charged with criminal damage, violent disorder, aggravated burglary, grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of actual bodily harm.
Jordan Devlin, 30, Charlotte Head, 28, Leona Kameo, 28, Fatema Rajwani, 20, and Zoe Rogers, 20, have all been charged with criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary.
Hannah Davidson, 51, was charged with criminal damage and aggravated burglary.
They were all charged by Counter Terrorism Policing South East, which is leading the investigation, and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
A 45-year-old man from Warwickshire and a 33-year-old man from Manchester remain in custody on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Magistrates have granted a warrant allowing detectives to question them until Friday and Saturday respectively.
Videos of the raid were shared on social media by campaign group Palestine Action, which aims to disrupt arms sales to Israel.
The seven defendants were remanded in custody today, Palestine Action said, adding: “Despite arrests under the Terrorism Act, giving the police the ability to detain without charge for up to 14 days, none of the activists have been charged with terrorism offences. Although the deliberate smear campaign we are seeing in mainstream media would indicate otherwise.
“This not only vindicates the activists, but proves the state was abusing their powers by holding them under draconian laws which saw them interrogated day after day — all in a bid to protect Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer.”
