Out of jail but no regrets: Meet the 85-year-old nun who broke into the 'Fort Knox' of nuclear facilities
It was described as "the biggest security breach in the history of the nation's atomic complex."
In August of 2012, three peace activists -- including an-82-year-old Catholic nun named Megan Rice -- managed to cut through fences, evade alarms, and infiltrate the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The plant had been dubbed "the Fort Knox of Uranium."
Rice, Michael Walli and Gregory Boertje-Obed, who are a part of the Transfrom Now Plowshares anti-nuclear movement, were arrested and convicted under the sabotage act.
She was sentenced to 35 months in prison, but on Saturday she and her accomplices were released after a judge ruled that the state had overreached in charging them with sabotage.
She tells As it Happens host Carol Off that her release came as a surprise.
"I heard the BBC around 3:17 am. I heard the word Megan Rice, I didn't hear everything, but I did hear immediate release," says Sister Rice, who is a member of the Catholic Society of the Holy Child Jesus.
Rice says she fell back asleep, only to wake an hour later to hear the same news report. She says she found another inmate who was awake and whispered the news to her, "just to say it to somebody."
Despite her two years behind bars, she doesn't regret her actions that day.
"We entered, as we consider in our conscience, legally. Because the fences are protecting illegal storage and use and threat of nuclear weapons."
When asked if she was surprised that it was so easy to break into the site, she says, "Totally. And delighted."
She said it took only a few minutes to cut through each fence.
"It was about 4:30 in the morning and we were able to easily cut through with metal clippers...just simple clippers. Each fence took only five minutes at the most."
They spent 20 minutes inside, spray painting walls with peace slogans, splashing them with human blood and putting up police tape before a single security van drove slowly up to area.
She also doesn't regret her time spent in jail.
"Not at all. It was a privilege and a gift.... It was a privilege to be there at my age with these women who are stalwart, you know, amazing characters with amazing wisdom. I believe they are the fallout of the American socio-economic situation...for 70 years, spending 10-trillion dollars making nuclear weapons."
Sister Rice, who has been arrested "roughly 40 times" would not say if she'd do the same kind of action again.
"Each event, each circumstance has to be discerned carefully."
A re-sentencing hearing is scheduled for July, when her lawyers are expected to argue that she has already served sufficient time for her crimes.