Police force strengthened ahead of funeral

MORE than 6,000 extra police, including snipers, bomb disposal experts and motorcycle escorts, have been deployed to protect the crowds of faithful and world leaders converging on the Vatican to mourn Pope John Paul II.

About 1,500 officers will be assigned to the hundreds of foreign dignitaries expected to attend Friday’s funeral.

Despite the large number of uniformed police around St Peter’s Square and in the tourist areas of Rome, there was no imposing presence of riot squads or police helicopters. If snipers were on rooftops, they were out of view of people in the square.

Though metal detectors are permanently installed around the square and normally used for papal functions, only a few people were being scanned with hand-held detectors.

But just before John Paul’s body was carried toward St Peter’s Basilica on Monday, police cleared mourners from a large area of the square until his remains were inside the basilica for the public viewing.

Dozens of uniformed police walked with the crowd as people filed behind a red-draped security barrier past the pontiff’s remains.

Much of the square and the wide boulevard leading up to it were blocked off by metal barricades. Dozens of Carabinieri paramilitary police lingered beyond the fencing where people waited to enter the basilica.

Police quickly stopped a few people who tried to climb over the barriers. On one street, officials in orange jumpsuits linked hands in a human chain to keep people in line.

Security was stepped up last week after the Pope’s health began to deteriorate and pilgrims started to arrive in Rome to pray for his recovery.

John Paul II was elected in 1978, the year Italian politician Aldo Moro was kidnapped and assassinated by Red Brigades terrorists. But even then, security remained light at the Vatican.

It was only seriously stepped up after Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca fired from a crowd in the virtually unguarded St Peter’s Square and wounded John Paul in 1981.

Measures were further increased sharply following the worldwide terror alert triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. They are especially tight over the Christmas and Easter holidays, when large crowds arrive.

In addition to the Swiss Guards posted at the basilica in blue-and-yellow striped uniforms and carrying ceremonial weapons, the Vatican security detail numbers some 200 people, including the Pope’s bodyguards and a special corps from the Italian police.

The Pope’s limousine is armoured, but cars used by cardinals don’t appear to be.