THE MENWITH HILL SITE

The Menwith Hill spy base, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is run by the National Security Agency (NSA) of the United States. Although overnight in February 1996 it became officially known as RAF Menwith Hill, most of the 1800 personnel on the base are American. The NSA was set up by a Presidential decree in 1952 without any debate in the US Congress. The American people know very little about the NSA and even less about Menwith Hill.

MENWITH HILL - is listening … International telecommunications, including private telephone calls, faxes and e-mails are intercepted from the UK, Europe, Middle-East, North Africa and the former Soviet Union. These are monitored looking for 'key words', searching for military, diplomatic and commercial information useful to the United States. In 1997 a European Parliament report made it clear that civil liberties are threatened by the work of the NSA at Menwith Hill. Information collected at Menwith Hill goes directly to Fort Meade, Maryland in the United States. The British government is given selected information on a 'need-to-know' basis via GCHQ, Cheltenham, who also have some employees working at Menwith Hill.

MENWITH HILL - integral part of US star wars plans … There are no missiles at Menwith Hill but the base plays a crucial role in any global conflict. It received an award for the part it played in 'desert Storm during the Gulf War in 1991. Menwith Hill's ongoing expansion means it is now able to transmit and receive communications and photographic images from space. This will help US Space Command in its mission to see and hear everything on the planet and enable laser weapons to be able to reach anywhere on the earth within a target of about six feet. It will also play a crucial part in US plans for a missile defence system by relaying the information gathered by the Space-Based Infra-Red satellite systems back to the US.

MENWITH HILL - ask no questions, get no answers … The American authorities largely refuse to answer questions, give out information or allow reporters, MPs or MEPs on to the base. Answers are refused to many of the questions that MPs ask about Menwith Hill in the House of Commons.

MENWITH HILL - The Campaign to close it … From the beginning, many people have worked to close the base. There have been vigils, demonstrations, peace camps, non-violent blockades and actions inside the base, letters to the press and radio and TV coverage. Action through the courts has successfully challenged the military land byelaws at the base. The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB) evolved from the original mixed campaign and since 1993 there has also been a women-only camp outside the base on the A59. There is a regular Quaker meeting for worship on the first Saturday of every month and Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has also organised large demonstrations outside the base as well as producing flyers and briefing papers on the base and lobbying decision-makers.

We will continue to protest against Menwith Hill's lack of accountability; its promotion of the arms trade and war; its violation of local, national and international law; its abuse of democracy and civil liberties; and its crucial role in US plans to dominate earth and space with nuclear and military technology.

"No-one concerned about civil liberties can ignore Menwith Hill. Despite many attempts to get answers to questions, it is quite clear that Menwith Hill is not accountable to MPs and therefore not accountable to the British people." Alice Mahon MP

For more information about Menwith Hill, the campaigns to close it and how you can get involved, contact:

YORKSHIRE CND tel: 01274 730795 fax: 01274 414413 e-mail: information@yorkshirecnd.org.uk 22 Edmund Street, Bradford, BD5 0BH visit www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk

CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES (CAAB) and the Quaker meeting for Worhip tel: 01943 466405 / 01482 702033 e-mail: caab.lindis_anni@virgin.net or 8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1HQ

WOMENWITH HILL WOMENS PEACE CAMP(AIGN) tel: 01943 468593 e-mail: FlossieMintballs@aol.com