Five arrested for breaking into Washington Navy base

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Nov. 3--BANGOR -- Five protestors associated with an international peace movement were arrested Monday after cutting through three security fences to reach an area where nuclear missiles are stored at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

Cited on suspicion of trespassing and destruction of government property were Bill Bischel, 81, a Catholic priest from Tacoma; Anne Montgomery, 83, a nun from New York; Susan Crane, 65, of Baltimore; Lynne Greenwald, 60, of Bremerton; and Steve Kelly, 60, of Oakland, Calif.

The nuclear weapons opponents were "apprehended in accordance with standing security procedures for incidents of this nature," according to a Navy press release. They were turned over to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, cited and released at about 4 p.m.

"At no time was the safety of Navy personnel, property, or the public threatened in any way," according to a Navy press release.

The protestors said Tuesday that they used bolt cutters to infiltrate the perimeter fence at around 2 a.m. Monday and slipped onto the base under a full moon. They walked along the ridge above Delta Pier and the weapons-handling wharf, then followed a road east to their destination -- the weapons storage bunkers.

"We were hidden in plain sight the whole time," Greenwald said.

Another pair of fences stood between the group and Strategic Weapons Facility-Pacific, where nuclear missiles for the base's Trident submarines are stored. The protestors cut through them, setting off an alarm at around 6:30 a.m. They were quickly swarmed by Marines.

The protestors held up a banner that read "Disarm Now Plowshares: Trident: Illegal + Immoral." They put their arms out, gave peace signs and tried to look as non-threatening as possible to keep from being shot, Greenwald said.