Free Republic

<p>ROME (AP) — European Union Commission President Romano Prodi opened a letter bomb at his home in Bologna on Saturday but was not hurt when the package burst into flames, his spokesman said.</p> <p>It was the second attack on the EU's top official in a week.</p>

<p>December 19, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - Assassins targeted the top U.S. civilian in Iraq shortly after he visited Saddam Hussein in prison on Sunday - and investigators are probing whether Saddam's spies in the U.S. command aided the attack, sources told The Post. Papers found in Saddam's briefcase when he was captured included a list of his spies working undercover with Americans in Iraqi security forces and in the Coalition Provisional Authority, which oversees civilian affairs in the country, ABC News reported.</p>

The New York Times is outraged that President Bush failed to breach his own heavy security, and inform its reporters and editors in advance of his secret Thanksgiving trip to visit with American G.I.s in Baghdad. The President also failed to inform the al Qaeda and Baathist leaderships, respectively, of his trip. Security was so tight for the trip, since otherwise Saddam-loyalists and terrorists active in Iraq would surely have attempted to assassinate the President. On November 22, enemy fighters armed with shoulder-fired missiles hit an A-300 DHL Express freight plane in the left wing, as it took off from...

WASHINGTON — The presidential election of 2000 was one of the low points of modern U.S. politics. But the upcoming 2004 nomination contests have the potential to be exciting. Either or both conventions could be electrifying affairs. Democrats may have the first multi-ballot convention since 1952, which could be a disaster or an unexpected opportunity. Republicans, who set their convention in New York City so President Bush could return to the scene of his apparent post-9/11 political triumph, might find Manhattan circa 2004 a much less friendly international stage. There may be more FBI agents and uniformed military people in...

WASHINGTON - Civil liberties groups and politicians raised the prospect Sunday that FBI (news - web sites) monitoring of anti-war protesters could stifle legitimate dissent and jeopardize people's First Amendment right to speak their mind. "What is the chilling effect that will be felt by Americans all across the country if they think they will come under FBI scrutiny just by going to a protest?" said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites). An FBI official on Sunday denied any effort to collect intelligence on people exercising their rights to free speech. The...

For the first time in the history of modern Britain, when President Bush’s three 747s land in England on Tuesday evening and he starts his three-day state visit, the head of state’s bodyguards will be armed and will have permission to shoot. Hitherto, visiting heads of state have been protected by Britain’s own professional security and secret services. This time it’s different. The Marxist/Islamic terrorist funded antiwar crowd is taking an intense interest in this particular visit. Headed by the Stop The War organization (which apparently has trouble understanding that the war has already been fought and won) and a...

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, launched a stinging attack on President George Bush last night, denouncing him as the "greatest threat to life on this planet that we've most probably ever seen". His provocatively timed comments, on the eve of Mr Bush's arrival in London tonight, threaten to create severe embarrassment for the Prime Minister. They also come with talks under way on whether to readmit Mr Livingstone to the Labour Party before his five-year exile ends.Although he made his many differences with the Government on a range of issues clear, he reserved his strongest comments in an interview...

PRESIDENTIAL PROTECTION Scotland Yard has warned American security services that it will not bring London to a standstill to protect President Bush from anti-war protesters during his three-day trip next week. However, police have stressed that they will still use all appropriate powers to ensure the President is protected against terrorist threats. Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Andy Trotter said there needed to be a balance struck between the right of demonstrators to protest, keeping London on the move and protecting Mr Bush. "Obviously it is a real concern with regard to the security of the President at a time...

AL-Qaeda terrorists using the cover of anti-war protests were a real threat to US President George W Bush's safety during his London visit next week, Britain's most senior policemen have reportedly warned. "We are not so concerned about some anti-war protester throwing rotten fruit at the President. Our worry now is the more dangerous elements who may be here," a senior Scotland Yard source told The Times newspaper. The report came a day after anti-war demonstrators accused the Government of blocking their right to protest in central London against Bush's visit from November 18 to 21. The Stop the War...

Blair faces Bush security crisis as Livingstone hosts anti-war party By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent and Chris Boffey (Filed: 12/11/2003) Tony Blair was struggling last night to prevent anti-war protesters from causing a full-scale security crisis during President George Bush's state visit to London next week. Those opposed to the war in Iraq have been urged to breach security at Buckingham Palace during the president's three-day stay, during which he will be the guest of the Queen. Separately, the Stop The War Coalition, which is organising a series of protests, said that, despite police plans to set up an...

Anti-war protesters claim that US authorities have demanded a rolling "exclusion zone" around President George Bush during his visit, as well as a ban on marches in parts of central London. The Stop The War Coalition said yesterday that it had been told by the police that it would not be allowed to demonstrate in Parliament Square and Whitehall next Thursday - a ban it said it was determined to resist. The coalition says that it has also been told by British officials that American officials want a distance kept between Mr Bush and protesters, for security reasons and to...

Tony Blair last night launched an impassioned defence of George Bush's visit to London next week and pleaded with anti-war protesters to put the arguments about war behind them and focus on Iraq's future. With a week to go before the US president arrives, the promise of the three-day visit is already acting as a magnet for protesters and anarchists from all over Europe. The Guardian learned last night of tension between US security agents, who want an exclusion zone round the president, and the London mayor, Ken Livingstone, who wants the demonstrators to be guaranteed as much freedom as...