Ring of steel at border to greet world leaders

A ring of steel has been erected across both sides of the border as the world’s leaders descend on Fermanagh for the G8 summit on Monday.

About 900 gardaí are on duty in four counties, including specialist armed patrols, intervention teams, and anti-terrorist units.

Garda management have been given the legal power to shut down mobile phone services if they receive any bomb threats.

In one of the biggest security operations ever undertaken in the North, 5,000 PSNI officers have been reinforced by 3,600 police from Britain.

An 11km security fence has been erected around the luxury Lough Erne Resort for the two-day summit.

US President Barack Obama flies in to Belfast on Monday.

While he attends the summit, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia will travel to Dublin.

Gardaí began the security operation for the first lady’s visit yesterday, closing off Kildare St to traffic, but insisting restrictions to the public would be “minimal”.

With British prime minister David Cameron attending, police North and South are monitoring the movements and communications of dissident republicans.

Garda sources said there was no intelligence, so far, of any significant unannounced protest, but added that these could emerge late in the day.

While the Republic is about 20km from the resort, gardaí have set up a series of security and traffic patrols and checkpoints in south Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, and Monaghan.

The armed Regional Support Unit is backed up by the Special Detective Unit, while the Emergency Response Unit, the force’s specialist intervention team, is on standby nearby.

Left-wing TDs described the security operations as “sinister”, with Joan Collins (Ind) condemning the “over-reaction”.

United Left Alliance TD Clare Daly accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny of behaving like a tool of “US imperialism” for attending the fringes of the summit as rotating head of the EU.

Meanwhile, a number of lucky teenagers and children will find out over the weekend if they have a chance to mingle with the Obama girls when they visit Dublin.

Selected schools and youth groups will be invited to attend the Gaiety Theatre on Monday afternoon where Sasha and Malia, along with their mother, will enjoy a performance of Riverdance.