Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

WEAPONS

Activists break into Bofors weapons plants

Activists broke into two facilities associated with weapons manufacturer Bofors in the early hours of Thursday morning and claim to have damaged up to 20 grenade launchers.

Published: 16 October 2008 08:40 CEST

Two people forcibly entered a BAE Systems Bofors facility in Karlskoga in central Sweden, setting off an alarm at around 3:00am Thursday morning. A guard later discovered the pair after they had broken into a locked building.

According to Sveriges Radio, the activists vandalized the facility and hung up a banner.

Two other activists were arrested after they broke into the Saab Bofors Dynamics plant in nearby Eskilstuna.

The activists belong to Ofog, a Swedish network devoted to a nuclear disarmament and demilitarization.

In a statement, the group claims that 20 Carl Gustaf-type grenade launchers were damaged by Thursday morning’s actions

“To disarm weapons which otherwise risk being used to kill people and worsen conflicts ought to be self-evident,” said Anna Andersson, one of the Ofog activists arrested, in a prepared statement published on the group’s website.

Police in Örebro and Eskilstuna couldn’t confirm how many weapons may have been damaged.

“So far the number is unknown and the technical investigation will reveal how many,” said Eskilstuna police spokesperson Owe Andersson to the TT news agency.

WEAPONS

Swiss weapons exports up 38 percent despite pandemic

Switzerland’s weapons exports have seen a 38 percent increase in 2020, according to official government figures.

Published: 20 October 2020 12:32 CEST
Swiss weapons exports up 38 percent despite pandemic
Swiss weapons exports are on track for their highest year on record. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Switzerland exported CHF690 worth of weapons over the first nine months of 2020. That’s a 38 percent increase on the CHF500 million sold over the corresponding period in 2019. 

Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) published the figures on Tuesday. 

The biggest customers for Swiss weaponry were Denmark, Indonesia and Germany. 

In total, 76 countries bought Swiss weapons during the period. 

According to current figures, weapons exports are on track to be the highest in Swiss history – beating the record of CHF893 million set in 2011. 

‘Death business is flourishing’ 

The news has been heavily criticised by a number of non-government organisations critical of weapons being sold to countries at war or who may use them against their own citizens. 

The Organisation for Switzerland without an Army (GSOA) and Terre des Hommes have been critical of the figures, particularly as the industry has called for a decrease in regulation in recent years. 

GSOA wrote in a statement “the death business is flourishing”. 

Saudi Arabia – currently involved in a conflict in Yemen – appear on the list, along with Brazil. Weapons opponents are concerned the Swiss exports could be used in the country’s slums, Der Bund reports. 

 

 

SHOW COMMENTS