A security guard suffered a laceration to his head after a group of Palestine Action activists armed with “fireworks, hammers and large kebab skewers” broke into an Israeli-linked weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems, Woolwich Crown Court has been told.
Five Palestine Action activists are facing two counts each of criminal damage and violent disorder over their alleged role during a raid on Elbit Systems in Filton, Bristol, on August 6, 2024.
Kamran Ahmed, 29, Zahra Farooque, 26, Heba Muraisi, 31, Qesser Zuhrah, 21 and Liam Mullany, 34, all deny all the charges against them.
Opening the case, the prosecution said the five defendants were part of a “black team” during the “carefully planned” raid on Elbit Systems, dressed in jumpsuits and wearing face coverings to conceal their identity.
Their role was allegedly to “overwhelm the security guards” to enable a separate break-in to the factory, the court was told.
Prosecuting, Deanna Heer KC, said the team did this “by threatening, intimidating and, if necessary, assaulting the guards, by throwing fireworks at them and brandishing weapons”.
Jurors were shown a video of the team allegedly “rushing towards” the factory, throwing fireworks and smoke grenades towards security guards and armed with what the prosecution say were “hammers and axes, whips and large metal kebab skewers”.
Jurors were told the group then shouted “we come in peace” to the two unarmed security guards, but the prosecution said this “couldn’t be further from the truth”.
According to the prosecution, two of the defendants, Qesser Zuhrah and Heba Muraisi, were among the members of the team who surrounded the two security guards, Nigel Shaw and Angelo Volante.
Protestors stood outside the Old Bailey last month over the activists facing counts of criminal damage and violent disorder
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PA
Jurors were shown video footage of a member of the team allegedly “attacking” a security guard “with an implement”.
The security guard, named Nigel Shaw, was left with a 4cm “laceration to his head”, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
The prosecution say Qesser Zuhrah was identifiable because she was the only person “wearing white trainers”, and she was also allegedly wearing a black and white bandana.
The court was shown video footage of someone carrying fireworks and a large kebab skewer, which the prosecution say was Zuhrah.
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A security guard suffered a laceration to his head over the incident, Woolwich Crown Court was told
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GETTYJurors heard Zuhrah described her role in Palestine Action as “lead covert operations” and acted as a co-ordinator for the team and accused of obtaining weapons for the black team.
The prosecution said there can be “no doubt Qesser Zuhrah knew just how intimidating” the weapons were after she is said to have sent a picture of a pile of fireworks to someone else, who replied: “OMG, that’s terrifying.”
The prosecution say another defendant, Heba Muraisi, used her iPhone to scope out the Elbit Systems site on Google.
The prosecution say she is also identifiable in video footage of the raid because she wore a GoPro.
The five defendants deny all charges against them.
The trial continues.
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