Tyneside Citizens’ Inspection Agency

c/o Andrew Gray

61 Addycombe Terrace

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE6 5NB

Ministry of Defence Police AWE Aldermaston Reading Berkshire RG7 4PR

16th February 2004

Dear Ministry of Defence Police,

We are writing in connection with the secure vehicle compound on the North edge of Albemarle barracks at Stamfordham, Northumberland (old Ouston airfield site). We are writing to you as we believe that you are responsible for the use of the compound by nuclear warhead convoys on a regular basis.

We enclose a copy of the notice that was this evening pinned to the gates of the compound, which we have attempted to secure so that they cannot be opened for use by a Trident nuclear convoy (TCHD). We have taken this action in the light especially of the following factors.

_The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in April/May this year will expose continuing pressure on the non-proliferation regime, as a result of the continuing failure to fulfil our disarmament obligations under Article VI of the treaty.

_Current heightened concern about the dangers of terrorism within the UK, and particularly of nuclear and suicide terrorism, make the transportation of large amounts of plutonium together with explosives on public roads especially reckless, and an unacceptable threat for the people of Newcastle and other towns and cities.

_The international situation and widespread conflicts demand positions based on principle and on integrity, not speeches about other people’s weapons programmes based on threats, military force and hypocrisy.

_Your own continued use of Trident convoys over the last year, and the Secretary of State’s threats to use UK nuclear weapons against Iraq, demonstrate that your crimes will not be halted by ‘normal’ legal or political means.

We are writing to notify you that the compound at Albemarle is not available for transporting Trident to or from Scotland. However, we are also writing in the hope that common sense and a respect for international law will prevail. With the alternative site at RAF Leeming having been exposed in Parliament and on the BBC as being far too insecure to store nuclear weapons, even overnight, we hope that you will call off the TCHD convoys for the near future.

Yours sincerely,

(on behalf of the Tyneside Citizens’ Inspection Agency)