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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2022
CONTACT:
Email: wartribunal2023@gmail.com, NICK MOTTERN, BRAD WOLF, KATHY KELLY
Phone number: (717) 468-8101, BRAD WOLF
Washington, D.C. area – On November 10, 2022, organizers of the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal and their supporters will serve “Subpoenas” on the corporate offices and corporate directors of weapons manufacturers Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and General Atomics, compelling them to provide to the Tribunal all documents revealing their complicity in aiding and abetting the United States government in committing War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Bribery, and Theft.
These Subpoenas are issued by the Tribunal on behalf of victims of deadly attacks by the United States since 9/11 in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan, enabled by weapons produced by the above-named defendants. The People of the World are delivering these public investigative subpoenas in preparation for the upcoming Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal, which will be held November 10-13, 2023.
The Tribunal is unusual in holding private actors accountable for enabling war crimes and promoting militarism and war. The Tribunal’s work is inspired by the U.S. Senate’s Nye Committee after World War I; the 1945 Nuremberg trials of German industrialists at the close of World War II; the 1966 Russell Tribunal on the Viet Nam War; and the filing this year of a case against three French arms makers for complicity in attacks by Saudi Arabia against Yemeni civilians.
While the Tribunal lacks the legal authority to enforce compliance with its subpoenas, it is expected that in the interest of accountability and transparency, the defendants will comply with this request. United States taxpayers who fund their contracts have a right to know if their monies are being used to violate national and international law to kill non-combatants.
The four defendants generate billions of dollars in profits each year by knowingly manufacturing, marketing, and selling products that kill not only combatants but non-combatant civilians as well.
By funding the political campaigns of members of Congress charged with oversight of the military, as well as other members of Congress, these defendants are alleged to have bribed public officials to approve billion-dollar contracts funded by taxpayer money. Defendants are also alleged to have directly influenced U.S. war-making policy to increase their profits.
The Tribunal itself will hear direct testimony from victims of war crimes, military analysts, and legal authorities during the Tribunal hearings in November of 2023. Those testimonies are currently being collected. Additional evidence is also being gathered.
Support and participation in this Tribunal include Marjorie Cohn, Bill Quigley, Ann Wright, Ajamu Baraka, Noam Chomsky, Medea Benjamin, John Pilger, and Richard Falk, among others.
The public viewing of the Tribunal will educate the citizens of the world on the direct role weapons manufacturers are alleged to play in fomenting needless war and suffering across the planet, violating numerous national and international laws, and engaging in war profiteering.
The Tribunal encourages victims of these crimes, employees of these corporations, and government employees to come forward if they have information pertinent to the work of the Tribunal.
The time and location of the delivery of the Subpoenas are listed below:
Lockheed Martin, 09:45 a.m. EST, 2121 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202
Boeing, 11:30 p.m. EST, 929 Long Bridge Dr., Arlington, VA 22202
Raytheon, 1:30 p.m. EST, 1100 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209
General Atomics, 3:00 p.m. EST, 3000 K Street, NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20007
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