Blunder as Italian police fax press secrets of Blairs' holiday

AS ONE of the world’s leading statesmen, Tony Blair is protected by state-of-the-art security apparatus. When he goes on holiday, every building is swept and secured in advance. His police and MI5 minders plan for everything.

Everything except the Italian police, that is.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister’s summer holidays sparked a new controversy when it emerged that the police inadvertently sent security details of his forthcoming trip to Italy to media outlets.

Siena police headquarters in Tuscany said the release of the five-page fax detailing arrangements for the Blair family’s visit was down to a malfunctioning fax machine.

The document was originally sent to police chiefs at the weekend. But it was retained in the fax machine’s memory and was subsequently sent out to various media numbers.

The Blairs’ visit to Italy, expected to start later this week, coincides with heightened security fears across Italy following numerous threats from Muslim militants.

The interior ministry has urged security chiefs across the country to be on maximum alert this weekend - the deadline set by Muslim extremists for Italy to pull its forces out of Iraq or face attacks.

Alarm bells started to ring yesterday lunchtime when more than a dozen news organisations in Tuscany - where Mr Blair is due to arrive on Saturday - received the fax.

One Italian journalist said: "I couldn’t believe it when this official document came over marked ‘Reserved Eyes Only’.

"It had places and dates of the Blair visit and in the wrong hands it could have caused absolute mayhem. It’s a huge mistake to make and the police are very embarrassed about it.

"We called the police department and they had no idea what had happened and asked us to fax it back to them immediately. Then a few minutes later an officer arrived to pick up the fax and take it away.

"The fax machine pours out dozens of documents a day but you don’t expect to pick up the security details of the British Prime Minister’s visit."

Siena’s chief of police, Vincenzo Giacobbe, said:

"We were contacted by telephone and e-mail by the people who received the fax and of course we asked them to send it back to us.

"An investigation has been launched, but we know how the mistake was caused - it was simply a mistake by the receptionist.

"Hopefully it will not change too much of the Prime Minister's visit but things may alter."

In London, neither Downing Street nor the Foreign Office would comment on the Italian police blunder.

But the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman and North East Fife MP, Sir Menzies Campbell, said: "This seems like a good argument for holidaying at home. They would have never done it in St Andrews."

The Blairs began their holiday with a stay at Sir Cliff Richard’s Barbados villa.

In Italy, they are expected to stay at the Tuscan mansion of wine-grower Prince Girolamo Strozzi, and at Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi’s 27-bedroom villa in Sardinia.

The sumptuous villa has been in the headlines in Italy recently because of controversial building work.

A replica Greek amphitheatre is being constructed, as well as swimming pools and an underground escape tunnel leading to private docks.

Environmentalists have attacked the project, saying it is damaging to the environment and no planning permission has been obtained.

The Blairs are also squeezing in a trip to the opening of the Olympic Games in Athens. Downing Street yesterday denied reports that they would be based on board the luxury new Queen Mary 2 liner during their stay there.