Human Shield Buses Stuck in Beirut, Seek Fare Home

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two red double decker buses and a white London taxi that ferried anti-war activists to Baghdad to serve as "human shields" are stranded in Beirut with their owner short of the $5,500 it costs to ship them home.

The buses and taxi, dusty after a six-week overland journey that began at London's Tower Bridge, were plastered with signs saying "No to a war on Iraq" and "No to war, Yes to peace."

"The buses have to be shipped back. It's just not practical to drive them...I am not even really sure how much money I've got, but I'm sure it's not enough," said owner Joe Letts, adding that he would fly to London on Thursday to try to raise cash.

"I thought I would let people know it's a problem," he added, sitting in a makeshift kitchen on his bus in central Beirut.

Letts said he left London with 45 human shields of 10-12 nationalities, and picked up a dozen or so more in Turkey before arriving in Baghdad, where he spent a week sleeping in a power station hoping to prevent a possible U.S.-led attack.

"We were taken to see some of the installations that the Iraqis thought were suitable for protection," he said, adding that he had feared a bombing campaign could start at any time.

"We painted a huge sign on the roof saying human shields, so when any planes bombed the target, they'd see they were killing us -- Englishmen and Finns and Turks."

Some 50 other Swedish anti-war human shield activists who had traveled to Iraq began to leave on Monday, saying they had wanted to protect hospitals and schools but had been forced out to refineries, power plants and water works.

Letts said about 200 human shields, including many who traveled on his bus, remained in Baghdad when he left. But he said that although he stayed on as a shield for a week, he had no intention of staying in Baghdad for the duration of a war.

"I own these buses and they are my livelihood and my family's livelihood. And all along I was there really to take the people down and then come back," he said.

When he left London, he thought he had enough money to pay to ship the buses home, but ended up spending his personal finances to help pay for the trip.

"I had promised my wife I would get the buses home," he said. "If I don't get them home, we're absolutely stuck."

	A red London bus carrying anti-war campaigners who aim to act as human shields in Baghdad drives past Istanbul's Suleyman the Magnificent Mosque as they set out for Baghdad February 10, 2003. Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said on Monday disputes in NATO over preparations to defend Turkey against Iraqi attack in event of a war were more a matter of timing than essence and could be overcome. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas - Feb 10 4:22 AM ET

	A Turkish anti-war convoy of protesters accompanies a red London double decker bus carrying anti-war campaigners through the streets of Istanbul February 9, 2003. The bus was accompanied by Turkish anti-war protesters in their cars during a demonstration through the city. Around 50 campaigners from different countries plan to drive to Baghdad to form human shields against a possible bombing of Iraq. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas - Feb 09 1:48 PM ET

	A red London double decker bus carrying anti-war campaigners aiming to form a human shield in Baghdad drives past the New Mosque in Istanbul February 9, 2003. The bus was accompanied by Turkish anti-war protesters in their cars during a demonstration through the city. Around 50 campaigners from different countries plan to drive to Baghdad to form human shields against a possible bombing of Iraq. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas - Feb 09 1:34 PM ET

	A protester hangs out of a red London double decker bus carrying anti-war campaigners who aim to act as human shields in Baghdad, drives past Suleyman the Magnificient Mosque in Istanbul February 9, 2003. The bus was accompanied by Turkish anti-war protesters in their cars during a demonstration through the city. Around 50 campaigners from different countries plan to drive to Baghdad to form human shields against a possible bombing of Iraq. . REUTERS/Fatih Saribas - Feb 09 1:37 PM ET

	A Turkish anti-war protester hangs out of a car accompanying a red London double decker bus carrying anti-war campaigners to form a human shield in Baghdad drives in Istanbul February 9, 2003, The bus was accompanied by Turkish anti-war protesters in their cars during a demonstration through the city. Around 50 campaigners from different countries plan to drive to Baghdad to form human shields against a possible bombing of Iraq. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas. - Feb 09 6:07 AM ET

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