Media Release 14 Oct 2014 When War Comes Home "Just as the arming and training of Islamic extremists in Syria by the US and its allies has created ISIS as a blowback, Frankenstein monster, likewise endless war and the secret terrorist practices of the Australian SAS Regiment is turning it into a monster and a long term threat to civil society in this land." So says Graeme Dunstan, Nimbin Aquarian elder and long time peace activist who will be addressing the Byron Forum : Global Warning, Future Visions from the Brink of the Apocalypse, Australia's Endless Wars 7 pm Saturday 18 October at the Byron Theatre 108 Jonson St, Byron Bay NSW. The theme of his address will be "When War Comes Home" and he will be exploring the downsides flowing from the participation by the Australian military in the endless imperial wars of the United State of America. He will make reference to the cost in terms of budget priorities (guns before health care) and in terms of blood and enduring trauma for the service people and their families. He will also point to the loss of hard won rights and liberties, and the increased surveillance and the censorship which endless war creates at home. giving as an example Attorney General Brandis' proposed new powers for ASIO. In particular he will be telling the story of the recent blockade of the Swan Island ASIS/SAS training base near Queenscliffe Victoria during which a Citizens Inspection team of four peace activists was apprehended by at least two "ADF" (so called by the Vic Police) and subjected to a "coercive interrogation". The "ADF" (read "SAS") were dressed in jeans and Tshirts and had their faces covered with scarves. They crashed tackled the peace activists to the ground, beat and abused them, zip-tied their wrists, hooded them in hessian sacks, cut off their clothes, dragged them about and threatened them with drowning and sexual assault. The story was on ABC 7.30 Report Thursday 9 October. Graeme was a witness to their injuries and their stories when Vic Police released them back to the gate blockade. "Coercive interrogation", or in US military jargon "renditioning", is what David Hicks suffered when abducted by US forces in Afghanistan and after, while he was held for 5 years without charge in Guantanamo Bay. It is also one of the techniques taught by 4 Squadron SAS Regiment at the Swan Island training base to state police counter terrorism units and to the armies they train overseas. "The point i will be making at the Byron Forum is that this normalisation of brutality and torture, this contempt for the rule of law and human rights, is the war the Australian SAS bring home with them," said Mr Dunstan. Further information Graeme Dunstan Peacebus.com 0407 951 688 Gi Norman, Byron Forum organiser, 0447 397 535 FaceBook event here Downloadable flyer here