Greenpeace invades UK radar base

LONDON, England - Environmental activists have invaded a British defence site to protest against the U.S. plan to develop an anti-missile defence system.

The group of 100 British, Danish and American activists broke into the Menwith Hill base, near Harrogate in northern England, and occupied three areas, Greenpeace told Reuters.

They targeted the base because if the U.S. does press ahead with the controversial plan -- sometimes known as "Son of Star Wars" -- Menwith Hill has been earmarked as an early warning monitoring station for the system.

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One group of 50 activists, some carrying flags with the message "Star Wars Starts Wars" and others dressed as missiles, walked through the base's main gate playing the theme tune to "Mission Impossible," while some scaled the razor wire perimeter fence, Greenpeace added.

The shield system, proposed by U.S. President George W. Bush, is intended to protect the U.S. from long-range missile attack from what the U.S. refers to as "rogue" states. Washington says the system would also protect its allies.

But many nations, including Russia and France, have strong reservations, fearing it would mean the end of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the start of a new arms race.

Greenpeace Executive Director Stephen Tindale told the Associated Press: "Bush can't install the system without (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair's approval. We urge Mr. Blair not to kowtow to Bush on such a crucial issue."

Greenpeace said that if Britain gives approval to Bush's plan, Menwith Hill will be used as a ground relay station to transmit information on missile location and trajectory back to the U.S. to help with targeting for interceptor missiles.

Three sites, including Menwith Hill -- a U.S. eavesdropping station which the U.S. rents from the UK government -- and Fylingdales radar station would have to be upgraded to facilitate the missile defence shield's early warning system.

British MPs recently criticised U.S. plans to develop the system claiming it to be "highly destabilising" to international security.