Independent TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly are to fully contest charges they unlawfully entered a restricted zone at Shannon Airport last July.

Deputy Mick Wallace said that he does not know if he will be charged or not after being arrested today at Shannon Airport.

Two TDs, understood to be Independent Deputies Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, have been arrested after trying to access US military aircraft at Shannon Airport.

A BITTER final day of the election campaign saw Fine Gael and the Greens exchange angry blows over allegations of a secret deal with republicans, while Brian Cowen insisted he would not quit whatever the scale of the voter backlash against his Government.

A small group of anti-war activists held a protest vigil when President George W Bush’s plane refuelled at Shannon airport early today.

THE White House views Ireland as a de facto 51st state of the US, it was claimed last night, after it emerged that President George W Bush rallied US soldiers during a stopover at Shannon Airport yesterday.

Human Rights workers from Africa, Ireland and America are in Kildare today for the annual Féile Bride conference.

ANTI-WAR activists yesterday demanded the Government bring in a blanket ban on CIA and American war planes using Irish airports — in a bid to prevent the torture of foreign prisoners.

The Government today insisted they would take all necessary action if it emerged that US security agencies were carrying prisoners through Ireland.

Anti-war activists today demanded the Government bring in a blanket ban on CIA and American war planes at Irish airports to prevent the torture of foreign prisoners.

TWO hours before Shannon’s protest left the town centre, activist Fiona Wheeler had some unexpected guests.

MORE than 10,000 people took to the streets of Dublin yesterday evening to protest against the arrival of US President George W. Bush.

A quiet corner of rural Ireland was encased in a steel cage tonight as military helicopters patrolled the skies above thousands of troops.

Peace campaigner Ed Horgan was one of three people arrested today in Shannon where the Irish security operation for the US-EU summit was under way.

About 8,000 people took to the streets of Dublin this afternoon to demonstrate against what they called the Government’s “collaboration” in the war on Iraq.

More than 20,000 anti-war protesters are expected to take to the streets of Dublin tomorrow to voice their opposition to war in Iraq.

A retired Irish army officer has launched a High Court challenge to the Government's decision to allow the US military to use Shannon Airport as part of its war against Iraq.

The St Patrick's day festival should not be politicised by anti-war groups says the chief executive of the council Maria Moynihan.