This article is from page 4 of the 2006-03-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
GARDAI who orchestrated the security operation for US President George W Bush’s two refuelling stops at Shannon over the past week have defended the decision to deploy hundreds of extra gardaí to patrol the airport.
Anti-war activists and GRA general secretary PJ Stone have questioned why hundreds of gardaí were deployed to Shannon for the refuelling stops on Tuesday and Saturday nights. The entire operation included more than 500 personnel and cost an estimated €750,000.
But Garda management sources said there was a risk assessment carried out and the numbers deployed were appropriate for the occasion.
Referring to Gda Stone’s comments, Superintendent John Kerin said, “I cannot believe a member of the GRA would say anything so non-sensical. The local GRA representatives were part and parcel of the planning and knew in advance what numbers were involved in the operation.
“If they had qualms, they did not bring it to our attention. Gda Stone had nothing to do with the operation. He wasn’t part of the planning process,” he said.
Supt Kerin said the numbers deployed were necessary, given that a 10-and-a-half mile radius had to be covered.
He said gardaí were satisfied with the operation, which involved the Emergency Response Unit and Garda Mounted Unit, as well as the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps personnel. The operation was co-ordinated by Assistant Commissioner Gerry Kelly, in liaison with the American Secret Service.
“A number of attempts were made in the course of Saturday night to breach security, but all were thwarted. After the President left Shannon, there was an attempt to pass the gantry [security area] but no-one gained entry,” said Supt Kerin.
On Saturday afternoon, four antiwar protesters, including Tim Hourigan, made their way, on a bus, to the terminal building and unfurled two anti-war barriers, before being asked to leave the area.
“They didn’t get within the terminal building. There was absolutely no breach of security,” said Supt Kerin.
Meanwhile, anti-war activist Ed Horgan said he was not surprised that so few people turned out to support their protests. Just seven people turned out on Tuesday night and nine on Saturday night.
“I am disappointed but not surprised, considering the weather. Theoretically, four million people should have been there. Every Irish person is implicated in the killing of 100,000 people in Iraq.
“Far too many resources were put into Shannon, when compared with the gross lack of security in Dublin during the riots a week earlier,” he said.