(ANSA) - Palermo, February 13 - A Palermo administrative court
(TAR) on Friday upheld an appeal by the Sicilian town of Niscemi
against the construction of the controversial Mobile User
Objective System (MUOS) by the US military, saying it would
affect locals' health.
Councillors and activists have been protesting against the
installation at a US military base near Niscemi for months.
They say MUOS, which entails placing some 46
telecommunications antennas, will threaten the environment as
well as as the health of local residents.
Italy's defence ministry says the system is "essential to
NATO operations in the Mediterranean and to national security".
Protesters managed to get into the site last August.
The hooded 'No MUOS' demonstrators climbed over the fence
to reach two fellow activists, who had perched on an antenna
tower for days.
The two climbers descended, everyone took pictures as a
testament to their foray into the base, and the group retreated
to their camp nearby, police said.
Palermo TAR upholds appeal against MUOS - update 2
'Would harm locals' health'