President George W. Bush will not be welcome in Ireland until US detention centres holding terrorists suspects are opened up to inspection, a group of clergymen said in Dublin today.
Speaking as part of the NGO Peace Alliance protesting against Mr Bush's visit to Ireland, the Rev Terence McCaughey said centres in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, should be inspected in light of recent revelations about the US treatment of prisoners.
"I think he's not welcome in this country until he grants that," Rev McCaughey, a former moderator of the Presbyterian Church, said.
The NGO Peace Alliance maintain the majority of Irish people are against the US attack and subsequent occupation of Iraq and that Ireland compromised its neutrality by allowing the US military use Shannon Airport.
Ironically, Mr Bush will land and depart from Shannon on an 18-hour visit to meet EU heads of state, and separately meet the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the President, Mrs McAleese.
Protests have been organised by the NGO Peace Alliance and other anti-war groups to coincide with President Bush's arrival on Friday night and meetings on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected at Shannon Airport and Dromoland Castle where Mr Bush will stay.
The Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Rev Robert McCarthy, also at today's call for public protests, reminded reporters that 100,000 people turned out to protest against the war. "The situation is worse than anything we thought at the time," Rev McCarthy said.
Spokesman for the Alliance, Mr Brendan Butler, said their protests would be peaceful and well organised but the US president must be sent a clear message, he said.
"We cannot allow bygones to be bygones . . . the powerful always feel we should forgive and forget," Mr Butler said.
Today's call was supported by clergy from many denominations including Roman Catholic Preist Fr Frank Brady, who accused Mr Bush's administration of "bearing false witness" when making the case for attacking Iraq.
The call to protest is also supported by Islamic representatives, although Ireland's Chief Rabbi, Dr Yaakov Pearlman, declined the invitation to associate himself with demonstrations.