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Raytheon chiefs' 'dismay'
THE SDLP in Londonderry has challenged an Invest NI document's interpretation of a meeting between John Hume and Raytheon chiefs, in which it was claimed the former MP agreed to support the arms company's bid to carry out work on defence projects in the city.
Mr Hume had lobbied on behalf of Raytheon before it came to the city in 1999, but the SDLP has always insisted that Raytheon agreed that no military work would be done here.
The company was operating at a loss in Londonderry - according to memos obtained by the Sentinel, it was estimated that it would lose 1m in the 2002-03 financial year - and wanted to take on defence contracts at its Springtown plant.
A document released under the Freedom of Information Act claims that Mr Hume met Invest NI officials and Raytheon representatives at the Beech Hill Hotel in 2003.
The Invest NI document - copied to the then DETI Minister Ian Pearson, noted: "Safeguarding the future of business in Derry would inevitably require doing work beyond air traffic control and into defence contracts. John Hume sees Derry as a key part of the North West's technology cluster and he was content that the company needed to explore other opportunities in the defence sector.
"He would like the company to emphasise that its software helps to protect people (whether through having good air traffic controls systems or in radar work etc), not kill people. In addition, he suggested that in describing the work in a public arena reference should be made to government contracts, rather than MoD contracts, since the latter can be emotive. He undertook to update his colleagues, including Mark Durkan, on the meetings and he would work behind the scenes to get support for the company.
"The company were content with the outcome of the meeting and advised John Hume that they would be moving forward with gaining certification to undertake additional government (MoD) work. They undertook to keep in touch with John Hume's office...by providing updates."
An SDLP spokesman said yesterday: "The memo obtained by the Sentinel was not an agreed minute of a briefing which was provided by Invest NI in respect of Raytheon in 2003 and the SDLP does not accept its contents as an accurate reflection of the meeting.
"John Hume as the then MP did not indicate that he was content with Raytheon exploring defence options for Derry and in no way advised Invest NI or the company to present any such activities in any particular way. In fact, the briefing was provided as John had made clear that he would not support development of products that were not designed to protect people.
"While John and Mark Durkan did not discuss this particular meeting, their discussions about Raytheon around that time adhered to the party stance and there was no question of any SDLP representative working either behind the scenes or publicly for a change in approach to Raytheon. The party has at all times maintained exactly the same stance on this matter in public and in private, as the public would expect. In fact, Mark Durkan as party leader and councillors discussed this issue when it came to council and they reinforced the party's consistent position.
"That position was and remains that the welcome expressed by council when Raytheon came to the city was contingent on civilian applications being its work, and that if that changed then the welcome position would change. At any further meetings with Raytheon the party also made clear its position in respect of development of systems in Derry which were not designed for civilian use."
In response, Invest NI said yesterday: "The information supplied by Invest NI is held as a formal record of correspondence in relation to discussions on Raytheon which took place in 2003."
Newly released Invest NI documents - that span several years - also contain a communication dated February 13, 2009, saying that Raytheon management had engaged on numerous occasions with "the wider spectrum of members of Derry City Council and have sought to reassure that Raytheon undertakes the development of software systems for civil aerospace applications only at the NISC facility".
It followed the most recent notices of motion put forward by the council, "voicing accusations that Raytheon may be using the NISC facility for the development of software to be used in military technology".
The document said Invest NI was helping Raytheon to secure a new site and notes filed under 'background' referred to ASTOR (Airborne Stand-Off Radar) and JETTS (Joint Effects Tactical Targetting System).
The document said: "Most recently the centre has been engaged in support of work for the corporation's ASTOR and JETTS contracts".
A further note under the same heading said: "Raytheon appear to be content that NISC remain in the civil/ commercial arena and not to undertake any military business." It continued: "This focus has to date sustained the current level of 40 posts at the facility. However the main JETTS contract is scheduled for renewal mid calendar year 2009, with the lease on the Derry facility due to expire early 2010."
It also said that there could be a reduction of up to 20 staff at the plant.
And it noted: "Following the violent protests...Senior US management at Raytheon have become increasingly concerned for the safety of staff at the NISC Centre. This hostility, combined with a perceived lack of support from Derry City will undoubtedly be a contributory factor in any decision by the company to downsize NISC".
Raytheon is to leave its current site in Londonderry and may move outside the city altogether.
The plant has been targeted on a number of occasions by anti-war protestors, and last year a number of people were acquitted of charges relating to an incident three years ago.
Journalist and campaigner Eamon McCann was one of six men acquitted of causing criminal damage at the company's office in Londonderry in August 2006. All six had admitted storming the Raytheon offices and throwing computers out of the windows, but said they did so to prevent innocent people from being killed by the Israeli military in Lebanon.
An Invest NI document, copied to the Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster - referred to the decision to acquit the protestors.
It noted: "Raytheon's US senior management continue to be dismayed and disappointed by this outcome. Unfortunately, it would appear that the view of senior US management is that the legal system in Northern Ireland does not offer the degree of protection to their business that could be expected in other parts of the world."
The Invest NI documents said that the company decided in February to let the owners know that it would not be renewing the lease at its current premises in Londonderry, when it expires in February 2010. They also said that Invest NI was helping Raytheon to find alternative locations within Northern Ireland "that can serve (as) a base for future growth".
A Raytheon spokesman confirmed: "We are currently investigating a number of options for more suitable sites in, and around, Londonderry."
Eamon McCann said that campaigners "would not be regretful at indications that they are now moving out".
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Weather for Londonderry
Sunday 27 May 2012
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