Two NATO nuclear weapons bases were subject to citizens' inspection for weapons of mass destruction this fall, during the 2001 Abolition Days, a Belgian-based grassroots campaign to enforce the terms of the 1996 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the legality of nuclear weapons.

The public appeal to join the citizens' inspection of Germany's Büchel Air Force Base led to a police search of the organizing group's office. Seized from the offices of Gewaltfreie Aktion Atomwaffen Abschaffen (Nonviolent Action for Nuclear Abolition) on September 26 were a computer, six T-shirts with the slogan "Atomwaffen abschaffen" (abolish nuclear weapons) and posters with the text "Zivile Inspektion der Atomwaffenstützpunktes Büchel" (civil inspection of the nuclear base at Büchel).

Two days later, 70 people came together to plan the action at the German base, where U.S. nuclear weapons are stationed for NATO. Their numbers somewhat diminished by many local actions for peace across Europe, 120 people rallied September 30 at the Büchel gate, seeking information and evidence about the weapons of mass destruction bunkered there. A large police presence prevented two affinity groups from carrying out any inspections, although two people were arrested trying. One who defended himself from police faces an additional charge. Organizer Roland Blach, whose computer is still in the custody of police, has also been fined 3600DM for encouraging the inspection.

The following day, five activists from the Dutch group Akties Tegen Kernwapens (Actions Against Nuclear Arms) entered the Netherlands' Volkel Air Force Base, inspecting one munition support squadron's communications building before being evicted.

For more information, contact Gewaltfreie Aktion Atomwaffen Abschaffen, Lenzhalde 53, D-70806 Kornwestheim, Germany, roblach@s.netic.de or For Mother Earth, Maria Hendrikaplein 5, 9000 Gent, Belgium, international@motherearth.org.