FIVE Palestine supporters walked free from court today after charges against them following attacks on an Israeli-owned arms factory were dropped.

It is the third time that Crown prosecutors have dropped charges against direct action participants for attacks on Elbit arms factories in Britain.

The activists say that the decisions are proof that the arms manufacturers supplying Israel with weapons to attack Palestine are the criminals — not they.

They were arrested and charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespass after targeting Elbit’s Shenstone factory in Staffordshire.

The charges were dropped on the basis that there was “an unrealistic prospect of conviction” – the same reason given when charges against other activists were dropped.

One of the five activists, named only as Randeep, said: “This further confirms what we already knew: we are not the criminals, and frustrating Israel’s colonisation of Palestine is not only a moral duty but a legally sound one.”

A Palestine Action statement said: “To date, no activists have been convicted for shutting down Elbit sites — with more major trials soon to commence.”

For more than two years, direct action network Palestine Action has been targeting the factories and offices of Elbit.

They have sprayed buildings with red paint, wrecked machinery, occupied rooftops and chained themselves across site entrances bringing production to a halt.

The action has seen the permanent closure of Elbit’s factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester and its London headquarters office this year.

On Monday a Palestine Action activist is due to appear before magistrates in Manchester after blockading the now-closed Oldham factory.

Three activists are to appear in London’s Highbury Corner Crown Court on October 5 and 6 for “locking on” at the now-closed headquarters office of Elbit in London, and eight activists are due in court on October 10 on conspiracy charges linked to actions against Elbit.