Campaigners fighting to end compulsory military service say their ranks have been boosted by almost 50 percent since the debate hit the headlines.

Bermudians Against the Draft currently has 13 people named on a court summons against the Governor, Deputy Governor and Attorney General. This alleges that the ballot which chooses conscripts is gender-biased and a breach of human rights because only men are picked, not women.

However, since broke news of the legal case a week ago today, six more men have asked to be included in the action.

BAD believes Bermudian men are treated unfairly as citizens of a British Overseas Territory in being expected to serve, as Britain formally ended national service in 1960. The organisation has also made allegations of ill-treatment of conscripts at Warwick Camp

Members hope the outcome of their legal action will be a Supreme Court ruling outlawing the draft for good ? but they have vowed to take the case all the way to the European Court of Justice if necessary.

?Hopefully this will prompt other young men to come out and see that they ought to be a part of it,? said BAD founder Larry Marshall Sr. Referring to critics of the campaign, he said: ?Right now they are saying it?s only 13 guys. If we can get another 13 it starts to snowball. We are not just isolated.?

Mr. Marshall said all of the new members of BAD are aged in their early 20s. They have been called up for service recently, with one currently in the Regiment.

?I am happy, definitely. We feel there are a growing number of young men prepared to exercise their democratic right to go before the Supreme Court to ensure that they are treated fairly and equally, and that as citizens of a British Overseas Dependent Territory they have the same rights as Britons,? he said.

The organisation plans to either add the new recruits to the original court papers or issue a second set.

Meanwhile, Mr. Marshall said some members of the public had misinterpreted BAD?s allegations of gender bias as a campaign to get women conscripted too.

He reiterated that the argument of gender-bias is intended as a means to achieving the ultimate goal of getting conscription of young men banned.

News of additional recruits to BAD comes after senior public figures including Governor Sir John Vereker and Minister of Public Safety David Burch hit out at the campaign in recent days.

Sir John told this newspaper there was no public or political support for ending conscription.

Minister for Public Safety and Housing, Senator David Burch, told TV news the majority of Bermudians supported the policy, and accused BAD of misinforming people and trying to tarnish the Regiment?s reputation.

Mr. Marshall said last night: ?I would like to make it clear that we are not anti-Regiment. We are just anti-conscription.?

Sen. Burch, Government House and the Regiment were all invited to comment on the topic, but declined to do so yesterday.

Defence Administrator Larry Burchall ? in charge of the Regiment ballot ? did not respond to a request for comment.