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Tony Blair to get extra security as group seeks arrest

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Tony Blair to get extra security as group seeks arrest

3News NZ

Ticket prices for today's event were slashed by half to $500 after slow sales

Ticket prices for today's event were slashed by half to $500 after slow sales

By 3news.co.nz staff / RadioLIVE

Extra security is in place for the visit to Auckland today of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Anti-war group Global Peace and Justice are planning a protest due to Mr Blair’s original agreement with the United States to go to war in Iraq.

The group want to see him arrested for war crimes.

Spokesman John Minto says if they don't have any luck at Eden Park, where he's due to speak today, they'll target the hotel where he's staying.

"Iraq posed no immediate threat to any other country, there were no weapons of mass destruction and no plans or programme to develop [weapons of mass destruction]," says Mr Minto.

"Tony Blair knew this but deceived the public and a gullible media because British multinationals wanted their share of the massive Iraqi oil reserves."

Website www.arrestblair.org is offering a monetary reward in exchange for attempting to perform a citizen's arrest of the former UK Prime Minister, whom along with then US President George W Bush, took his country to war in Iraq in 2003.

In order to collect the bounty, the claimant must attempt a non-violent citizen's arrest, and have it reported by a mainstream news outlet.

So far, three people have collected a total of almost £9,000 from the site, which was started by Guardian writer George Monbiot, and is funded by donations made over the internet.

Estimates of the war dead range between 100,000 and 1 million.

Ticket prices for today's event were slashed by half to $500 after slow sales.

RadioLIVE / 3 News

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Comments

28/07/2011 12:31:33 p.m.

Alison wrote:

Messers Bush, Blair and Howard are all equally culpable though it is highly unlikely any of them with ever be held accountable.

28/07/2011 11:30:56 a.m.

Kelly wrote:

Good luck John. I'm in Wellington but I support you. He has committed crimes against humanity and so did George Bush. Both went over and above the United Nations and did not have any authority to go into Iraq. All for Profit - much like this visit. $1,500 to hear to listen to more lies.

Prior to unlawful intervention by UK/USA and their Allied forces Iraq was a progressive cosmopolitan city despite Saddam Hussein being in power. Now it is full of foreign mercenaries and military.

Iraq is also the centre for the history of the world, always has been.

28/07/2011 8:57:54 a.m.

Mike wrote:

Why are we allowing a war criminal to enter NZ? We should be honouring our obligations under international law and taking him straight from the airport to Paremoremo.

28/07/2011 7:58:33 a.m.

Fellowes wrote:

Mr Blair should be arrested for war crimes. Put the Dalai Lama in charge of running the world instead of men such as this.