NATO Threatens to Keep Bombing as 6 More Peace Activists Enter Bombing Range

NATO has threatened to continue a live-fire bombing exercise in Swedish Lapland despite the presence of six (6) peace activists in the bombing area. The activists, all members of the Swedish anti-militarist network Ofog, aim to disrupt the exercise and prevent NATO from practising for war.

This is the third day running that Ofog has entered the restricted military area being use for the exercise. The first group of three people entered shortly before midnight and remain at large in the bombing range 15 hours later. The second entered around midday.

“NATO is the worlds biggest war machine and nuclear weapons club. This aerial exercise in northern Sweden is their largest this year and is designed to make the NATO Response Force even more able to attack wherever they want. 90% of those who are killed in NATO's wars are civilians. It is our responsibility as human beings to do all we can to stop this exercise.” said Miriam Cordts from Västerås in Sweden, one of the activists in the bombing range.

The NATO response to the activists presence was first to attempt to deny that the activists were there (despite photos proving otherwise on the Ofog website) and then to claim that they will continue bombing anyway. “We have not been given any restrictions on continuing the exercise from FMV, who are responsible for the firing range” said Sara Burlage, information officer at the F21 base co-ordinating the exercise, to Swedish TV news program Nordnytt.

“We know that NATO bombs civilians, but this is the first time they have threatened to bomb civilians in Sweden” said an Ofog spokesperson. “This is the third time this week that a group from Ofog has gone into the military area. We have never lied about going in. It is a safety issue. It is NATO who are dropping bombs so it is NATO who must be able to guarantee that there are no civilians in the firing range.”

“NATO is a nuclear weapon alliance who through threats and violence strives to maintain and extend its control of the worlds natural resources. We are just some of many who oppose that. I see it as my duty as a human being to do all I can so that no-one gets better at dropping deadly bombs.” said Henrik Olsson, one of the activists inside the firing range.