Bombing range protesters arrested

Vieques: Scene of the US Navy's war games

US Military security agents have arrested 14 people for trespassing on the US Navy bombing range on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques.

The group were taken to the naval station Roosevelt Roads, on the main island of Puerto Rico, according to US Navy spokesman Robert Nelson.

They were detained, but later released without charge. However, they have been ordered to appear before a federal judge at an undetermined date, he said.

Bombing exercises resumed last month on Vieques in the face of stiff opposition from local people. The Navy says the base is vital in training US forces for combat.

Among those arrested was a former director of the US territory's local Administration of Courts, Euladio Torres.

The group entered the bombing range at about 2145 on Friday (1645 GMT), and were walking on the main road of the Navy's Camp Garcia base when they were detained, said Vieques activist Robert Rabin.

The activity was meant to draw attention to opposition of Navy bombing on the island and "make the normal functioning of military activities inside Camp Garcia impossible," said Mr Rabin.

Until last month, protesters had camped out on the bombing range for nearly a year following a bombing accident that killed a civilian security guard.

Raids

On 4 May, US marshalls raided the camps and arrested more than 200 protesters.

One of the rusting targets on Vieques

Since then dozens have been detained for trespassing, including a group of 25 protesters and six journalists on 1 June. They were later charged with trespassing on federal property

The Navy resumed bombing with concrete-filled dummy bombs shortly after the 4 May raid.

Islanders are to decide in a referendum whether the Navy should leave in 2003, or stay longer and resume using live ammunition.

The referendum has yet to be scheduled.