Emma Kamio, the mother of Leona ‘Ellie’ Kamio, said the four convicted activists were trying to save Palestinian children’s lives. Photograph: Jeff Moore/PA View image in fullscreen Emma Kamio, the mother of Leona ‘Ellie’ Kamio, said the four convicted activists were trying to save Palestinian children’s lives. Photograph: Jeff Moore/PA Palestine Action Pro-Palestine activists who were sentenced as terrorists launch appeal Barrister representing four who smashed drones at Israeli arms factory says ruling of ‘terrorist connection’ led to heftier sentences
Prefer the Guardian on Google Palestine Action activists who were the first defendants convicted of property damage whose offending was deemed to have a “terrorist connection” have launched an appeal of “fundamental constitutional importance” against the judge’s finding.
Charlotte Head, 30, Leona Kamio, 31, Fatema Rajwani, 22, and Samuel Corner, 24, received lengthy sentences in June for smashing up drones and other equipment at Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems’ factory in Filton, Bristol, in 2024.
Mr Justice Johnson’s decision to sentence them as terrorists after a jury found them guilty of non-terrorism offences – they were committed before Palestine Action was banned – has been criticised by civil liberties groups, including Liberty and Amnesty International.
Simon Natas, of ITN solicitors, who is representing the four prisoners, said serious property damage, which can constitute terrorism, was not clearly defined and could catch a wide range of offending, making the appeal of “fundamental constitutional importance”.
View image in fullscreen Convicted Palestine Activists (from left): Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner and Leona Camio Composite: PA He said: “The only way you can determine what ‘serious’ means is by going back to what was said during the Terrorism Act [passing through parliament]. Jack Straw was the home secretary at the time. And when he presented the act to parliament he said that terrorism was, or involved, the use of serious violence.
“So … it had to be designed to create a climate of extreme fear and undermine the foundations of government. So, really, what we say is the government set the bar for what terrorism is very, very high.”
View image in fullscreen Fatema Rajwani, the fourth convicted activist. He said the bar had not been reached in this case and that there had been no intention to influence the government or to intimidate the public, or a section of the public, as required for a terrorism finding, “because the intention here was simply to damage weapons to prevent them being sent to Israel … and used by the Israeli military”.
While Corner was also convicted of grievous bodily harm without intent for striking Sgt Kate Evans with a sledgehammer, no terrorist connection was applied to this offence.
A press conference on Thursday was told that Johnson’s ruling on a terrorist connection meant that the four received heftier sentences. They will also serve at least two-thirds of their tariff in prison, much longer than the norm, and must rescind their political views to obtain parole.
Additionally, they will also be subject to 15 years of terrorist notification requirements on release, which includes informing police of any new devices, relationships, bank accounts or addresses.
View image in fullscreen Activists pictured inside the Elbit Systems UK factory in Filton, Bristol. Photograph: X Kamio’s mother, Emma, said that 40 quadcopter “killer dro…