[A-List] Nato summit: Security concerns

[Sabri Oncu <soncu@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rome hunkers down for NATO summit _ this time terrorism more a
threat than protests
Mon May 27, 8:11 PM ET
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer

PRATICA DI MARE AIR BASE, Italy - Concerned about possible
terrorist attacks, Italy has deployed 15,000 security forces and
mounted robust air and sea defenses to protect 20 world leaders
attending Tuesday's NATO (news - web sites)-Russia summit.


For U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) alone, a
50-vehicle motorcade was provided after helicopters were deemed
too dangerous and subject to missile attack for the U.S.
president to travel in, state television reported.

As a result, roads were already being roped off Monday in Rome
and observation posts dotted the area around the Pratica di Mare
air base, where Tuesday's 5 1/2-hour summit is to take place.

The nearby Ciampino airport was closed Monday to commercial
flights.

On Tuesday, activity at Rome's main airport, Leonardo da Vinci,
which is close to the summit site, was being greatly reduced. The
national carrier Alitalia and other smaller Italian airlines
decided to stop service during the summit hours. International
carriers were told to provide an unarmed security officer aboard
each flight.

"We are working to make the entire area impregnable," said Rome
Prefect Emilio Del Mese, the government's representative in the
capital, in an interview with the La Stampa daily. "For the past
20 days, the entire zone has been under surveillance by
helicopters and by foot and auto patrols, by police and
Carabinieri" paramilitary police.

NATO's AWACS surveillance airplanes, Italian navy and coast guard
vessels and a battery of anti-aircraft missiles have been
deployed. Helicopters flew over the base on Monday while armed
police were scattered about the area in observation posts and
troops with dogs patrolled the base's edge.

Manholes were sealed and about 15 kilometers (9 miles) of beaches
were placed off limits ? much to the dismay of an Italian nudist
association, which complained that naked people couldn't possibly
pose a threat since they can't hide any weapons.

Italy is no newcomer to heavy security for international
meetings, but its record isn't clean.

The first anti-globalization protester to be killed during a
street demonstration was gunned down during last July's Group of
Eight summit in Genoa after he rushed a Carabinieri jeep. The
government deployed 20,000 police to protect Genoa, but a small
core of protesters torched buildings, cars and businesses,
marring the summit outcome.

On Monday night, about 200 protesters against the effects of
globalization on the world's havenots held a candlelit vigil on
the Circus Maximus, the ancient Roman entertainment field, far
from the summit site. Rain and wind played havoc with the
candles, arranged so their flames spelled out "No NATO, No Bush."
The gathering was peaceful. Police were deployed around the
hillside and did not intervene.

At Tuesday's summit, the main concern isn't so much protesters as
possible terrorists.

Del Mese said he was optimistic that any protests would be under
control "because all the big protests since Sept. 11 have
demonstrated a great sense of responsibility," he told La Stampa.

Full at:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020528/ap_wo_
en_ge/nato_summit_security_1