THE prosecution launched its case in the federal criminal trial of seven US peace protesters with an avalanche of exhibits on Tuesday, all designed to paint the defendants as wilful vandals with unclear intentions. 

But the defence, including five of the defendants who are representing themselves, challenged the prosecution’s characterisation of their actions.

The prosecution aims to prove that the seven Catholic activists conspired together, then destroyed government property while trespassing on the US navy submarine base at Kings Bay on the Georgia coast on the night of April 4-5 last year.