Nic Clyde and Stuart Lennox flew out of Australia yesterday in time for a New Year's Eve party in Los Angeles. But unlike other revellers, few at the party will be making plans for 2002. The two Australians, along with 13 other Greenpeace activists, face an uncertain future. On January 8, they front a federal court jury in Los Angeles charged with felonies, one of which carries a maximum jail term of six years. In July, the FBI arrested the activists and two freelance journalists after they delayed the test of the Bush administration's controversial Star Wars anti-missile defence system. Opponents of the system claim it will increase the likelihood of nuclear war. They were charged with conspiring to violate a safety zone and entering a military zone without permission after swimmers on boogie boards went ashore at the Vandenberg Airforce Base in California. The US coastguard chased other activists in inflatable dinghies. Mr Clyde, 32, who is on bail but was allowed home for Christmas, said the last few days had been stressful. "I don't know how long it's going to be before I see my family and friends again," he said. "I guess I'm psychologically preparing for the eye of the storm in LA." Mr Lennox, 43, has also been preparing for his time away from Australia. Christmas was "a quiet day", during which he "cleared stuff away" at his home in Murdunna, near Port Arthur. He said it was "a difficult time", because he was unable to meet up with his partner, who is in Japan. Mr Clyde's brother, Ian, a Melbourne lawyer with experience in human rights law, said his family supported his brother's stance but were worried about his future. "It upsets and distresses us that Nic might have to languish for months in a penitentiary, simply for a peaceful protest," he said. Ian Clyde, who along with other family members has written letters to federal politicians to highlight the men's plight, believes the charges are disproportionate to the men's actions. "It seems to me very unlikely that if the shoe was on the other foot, and it was a bunch of Americans who were conducting these sorts of protests over something we were doing, I very much doubt that we would have treated the Americans in the same way," he said. He said it is difficult to predict the outcome of the trial because of the political climate in the US following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The trial was originally set for November 20, but was delayed because defence lawyers believed it may have been difficult to obtain a fair hearing. It is widely seen as a test of how the US now responds to civil disobedience. Despite their arrest, the pair said they had been buoyed by support from the leader of the Greens, Bob Brown, who drafted a Senate motion earlier this year urging the men's speedy return to Australia. The ALP and Democrats supported the motion. The Catholic Bishop of Canberra, Pat Power, and trade unions have also offered support. The men remain committed to protesting against the use of nuclear weapons. Mr Lennox, a Greenpeace activist for more than 10 years, said while he was in California he visited a Buddhist temple on Hiroshima Day and was struck by the message contained in a survivor's story. "She said, 'I'm going to die soon. It's up to you people to make sure this doesn't happen (again)'," Mr Lennox said. The trial is expected to last about four weeks. http://theage.com.au/news/national/2001/12/30/FFXRQKY9SVC.html Photo.