RUMSFELD CREATES ADELAIDE 'HIGH TERROR' CHANCE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA REFUSED PARLIAMENT HOUSE PROTEST

A planned Adelaide protest against U.S. Secretary of Defence has been cancelled by South Australian Authorities, and those gathering at Parliament House without permission wil be "moved on" by police.

Protest spokesman Mr Mike Khizan said in a media release tonight that " “Donald Rumsfeld, a man whom many millions of people around the world see as an international war criminal is coming to Adelaide, and in the name of ‘protecting’ him, free speech is being denied and the right to dissent attacked.”

Mr. Khizam argued that “it would be a betrayal of our responsibility to defend civil liberties to simply swallow this decision. If Parliament steps are barricaded off, we will rally as close to the site as possible, on the King William Street end of the barricades.”

The media release by Rice Rumsfeld Reception Committee also emphasised the fact that many people had already been notified of the Thurday 4.30 pm protest. It also claimed that Adelaide talkback radio participants have been warned on at least two occassions that if they say anything that may incite protest they will be taken of air

.Police have declared a "high" terror likelihood, following media reports that protesters are co nverging on the South Australian capital from all over the country.

The Adelaide trip was announced several months ago by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, and was planned to coincide with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condileeza Rice. Downer subsequently revealed that Dr Rice had cancelled her trip because "Leftists" were planning to protest.

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, police are preparing for the possibility of up to 10,000 protesters, and have stated that they will have little tolerance for unwanted activity. A police spokesman said today that Adelaide residents should not go near the blockaded area unless they had specific reason to do so.

Mr Rumseld and the U.S. Deputy Secratary of State are meeting with Mr Downer and Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill fo an annual bi-national meeting of minsters known as Ausmin.

Mr Downer has previously stated that Adelaide was chosen as the location of the meeting "because I live there," and that he thought it would be nice to show off his home city.

Mr Rumsfeld is expected to dine on Thursday at the Stonyfell Winery Resaurant, situated next to a quarry at the face of the Adelaide Hills. Prostesters plan to gather at the location, about 14 minutes from city centre, and to be located along the roadside.

Adelaide has strong commercial and defence ties with the U..S. It is the primary location for construction of Australia's contribution to the U.S. Missile Shield, and is the closest major city to an extimated 40% of the world's known uranium reserves. The city is the global headquarters for the Infrastructure Division of K.B.R, the subidary of Halliburton heavily involved supporting U.S. soldiers in Iraq and in the reconstruction of that countries oilfields, as well holding a contract for global support of U.S. military activities.

South Australia is expected, according to its Premier, to host Australian participation in the Global Hawk project, in which Unmanned Air Vehicles for survellance and combat vehicles are being created.

There is also speculation that the region will be a prime player in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Project