COUNTDOWN TO MAY DAY: FORTRESS PHOENIX; Gardai & Army launch security op.

Byline: NIALL MOONAN

CRACK Garda "snatch squads" will patrol the streets of Dublin today for Ireland's biggest security operation since the Pope's visit in 1979.

Officers have turned Phoenix Park into a fortress as they vow to take on anarchists determined to wreck the EU May Day enlargement celebrations.

Concerns mounted yesterday after reports that gardai had found ammonia-filled water guns, which anarchists planned to fire at the Snatch Squads.

In an unprecedented security blitz, a fleet of Garda units will circle the city in vans ready to pick up and question potential troublemakers.

One source said: "Each unit will consist of a Sergeant and up to six officers. Any hint of trouble and they will be there to haul anarchists off.

"The eyes of the world are on us and we are taking nothing for granted."

Phoenix Park, where receptions will be held in Farmleigh House for Europe's heads of state, has been encircled with razor wire and a gardai is posted every 50 metres.

All Garda leave has been cancelled, a total of 5,000 officers are on duty and 2,500 troops are on stand-by if the numerous protests descend into rioting.

Specially-trained gardai have been issued with riot control gear and armoured cars were sent in to patrol the city centre yesterday. Army units will hold positions at key points around the city, including Dublin Airport and Aras an Uachtarain.

Rapid response teams composed of 4,000 troops will be held in reserve in case gardai are overrun.

The Army chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear unit will also be deployed.

Naval vessels will patrol Dublin Bay and a field hospital has been set up at McKee barracks.

Water cannons on loan from the North are at the ready and added surveillance will be provided by Garda helicopters.

As gardai steel themselves for trouble similar to the G8 riots in Genoa, the Irish Anti-War Movement promised their protest will be peaceful.

But vit is the 300 international anarchists that authorities are deeply concerned about.

Phoenix Park is the hub of the security operation, with most of its 1,752 acres being off-limits and under 36-hour shutdown in advance of the EU Day of Welcomes on Monday.

Garda Superintendent John Farrelly said: "You have to plan for the worst-case scenario.

"Because you do that and because there are so many things happening, like the Phoenix Park closing, people presume or anticipate that we are expecting trouble. The reality is we are not.

"We know through our intelligence there are a number of people, maybe up to about 300, coming in from overseas who may try to disrupt proceedings."

The Anti-War Movement's Richard Boyd Barrett said the security was "completely over the top and unjustified". He added: "It is part of a quite deliberate scaremongering campaign to discourage people from coming out and protesting.

"It's outrageous that we've had two weeks of scaremongering about the potential threat of violence from protesters.

"We are of the view that the scaremongering campaign has as its primary target, the planned protests at the end of June when George Bush visits.

"It is a dress rehearsal for a very repressive police operation."

Asked whether he was worried militants groups could infiltrate peaceful protesters, he said: "I'm more worried about infiltration by members of the police. Our demonstration will be absolutely peaceful, it will be made clear that violent activity will not be accepted and will be tightly stewarded. Even if there were a couple of hundred anarchists it still doesn't justify the shutting down of Phoenix Park and a substantial part of the city."

The main demonstration begins with a rally at the Central Bank in Dame Street at 12 noon, followed by a march at 1.30pm to the Phoenix Park - or as close as they can get to it. Meanwhile, a major security operation was mounted along the border yesterday as gardai and Defence Forces personnel sought to block ''back door'' entry to the Republic by anarchist suspects.

Checkpoints in Operation Trek were mounted on roads into the Republic from Donegal to Louth.

Uniformed and plain-clothes officers, some armed, stopped and questioned all motorists.

It was the biggest border operation since it was sealed off three years ago during the foot and mouth outbreak.

A Garda spokesman said: "Our intention is to monitor the movements of anybody likely to attempt to cause trouble over the BAnk Holiday weekend."

The checkpoints will remain in place until Monday.

CAPTION(S):

ANARCHY: G8 Protests in Genoa; CONCERN: Supt Farrelly, far left, Boyd Barrett and Farmleigh House; BLOCKED: Gardai seal off Phoenix Park yesterday as they mount security operation; SECURITY SCREEN: Soldiers get into position on the border as part of Operation Trek