Security fears for Clinton’s arrival

The Scotsman ^ | 11/19/2001 | Tracey Lawson

[CommiesOut]

Security fears for Clinton’s arrival

Tracey Lawson
(tlawson@scotsman.com)

BILL CLINTON’s visit to Scotland is at the centre of a security scare amid fears the Arab community is planning to stage a protest against his dealings with Israel.

The former US president is due to visit Glasgow next month, where he will be guest speaker at a dinner hosted by the Jewish National Fund. The dinner is being held to help raise £1 million towards a reservoir in Israel which will be named after Mr Clinton.

Security for his trip has already been tightened following the 11 September terrorist attacks, after which his wife, Hillary, cancelled a planned visit to the Scottish Parliament.

But fears for his safety will be further fuelled by reports that Strathclyde Police have been told by Palestinians that hundreds of Arabs will stage a protest at the Hilton Hotel, where the dinner is to be held.

Nobody from Strathclyde Police was available to comment on the reports last night. However, it is understood that secret-service officers from the US and Israel are liaising with UK Special Branch officers, with a £250,000 security operation swinging into place as Mr Clinton attends further JNF functions in Manchester and London as part of the three-day fundraising visit to the UK.

Last night, a spokesman for the JNF said it would be "surprised and disappointed" if Palestinians staged the protest.

Stanley Lovatt, the national vice-president of the JNF, said he had received no information from police to suggest such a protest would go ahead.

He added: "I would be very surprised if this happened. I have heard nothing about this.

"I would be disappointed. We are a non-political organisation and Mr Clinton has been invited for non-political reasons.

"We are raising money for a reservoir in Israel, and have invited Mr Clinton because he is a former president of the United States, a great speaker and we knew he would sell tickets.

"But nothing could overshadow Mr Clinton’s visit to the JNF dinner, which is something we are very proud of."

Tickets for the Glasgow event, which cost £125 a head, sold out within five weeks of going on sale.

Mr Lovatt, who has masterminded the coup of attracting Mr Clinton to the UK, said: " Mr Clinton will speak for an hour and answer questions for half an hour.

Mr Clinton is believed to charge around £100,000 for making speeches, however Mr Lovatt confirmed the President would be speaking to the JNF for a "nominal fee" which he was did not disclose.

JNF raises money for public projects such as irrigation schemes in Israel, but is also active in promoting Zionism in education, boasting a JNF-funded teacher in almost every Israeli school.

[CommiesOut]

$lick Lake
Bubba Loch Ness

[anniegetyourgun]

It's not really a reservoir they are going to name after him....they just didn't have the heart to tell him it is a sewage treatment plant.

[CommiesOut]

This is impossible, comrades... Nice Tuesday morning, coffee, first randomly chosen paper--The Scotsman:
Bubba and Arabs.

[aShepard]

reservoir in Israel which will be named after Mr Clinton.

The stained sink

[ipfreely]

I have a great idea for the protection of the former rapist, I mean president. Get some of those Taliban guys and some Palestinians to be his bodyguards. Be sure to mention to them that it is for a reservoir in Israel. They will be happy to do the job for free.

...note to Clinton's booking agent - purchase a one-way ticket

[JD86]

As much as I despise the man, I don't want anyone to make a martyr out of him. Then every town would have a WJC Street to go with their MLK Street.

[truther]

. . .fears for his safety?
Doesn't GB has something more significant to fear about?
Sickening!

[Marobe]

ANyone that goes near X42 deserves what they get ... Anyone that funds X42 deserves .....

[Cobra64]

The plan should be for Clinton's security cadre to forget to chamber their weapons. Subsequent briefings following the "incident" could be explained that, "we had mis-fires due to bad cartridge primers."

[Bommer]

As much as I despise the man, I don't want anyone to make a martyr out of him.

Martyr? Name me one famous pig thats a Martyr!

[JD86]

Please read my entire posting.

[lsee]

OH! You beat me to it! LOL

[MadEagle]

Mr Clinton is believed to charge around £100,000 for making speeches, however Mr Lovatt confirmed the President would be speaking to the JNF for a "nominal fee" which he was did not disclose.

It really stokes me to see that there are cretins out there willing to pay this traitor hundreds of thousands to flap his gums and spew his US-hating venom.

[steve-b]

Then every town would have a WJC Street

A little crooked alley in the red-light district?

[JD86]

A little crooked alley in the red-light district?

LOL, you made my day!

[ninonitti]

Then every town would have a WJC Street to go with their MLK Street.

Dead Ends?

[JIM O]

The people of Scotland should be more concerned about where to hide their daugters during the visit.

[JD86]

Dead Ends?

LOL, another smile for my day.

[gulfcoast6]

If they want to keep him they can, we won't mind.