Security fears halt Bush visit to Europe

He had been due to be the keynote speaker at a Jewish charity gala in Switzerland yesterday, but protest groups called for mass demonstrations against the former governor of Texas.

Criminal complaints against Bush have already been lodged in Geneva, whilst human rights groups including Amnesty International and the Centre for Constitutional Rights had planned to lodge further actions, asking Swiss prosecutors to open a criminal investigation after the recent admission from Bush in his memoirs that he sanctioned the use of waterboarding for terrorism suspects.

Last night his spokesman David Sherzer confirmed that the visit had been cancelled, although he refused to confirm the reason.

A lawyer representing the hosts of the dinner told a newspaper that Bush's appearance at the event had been cancelled due to fears of violence. "The calls to demonstrate were sliding into dangerous terrain," Robert Equey said. "The organisers claimed to be able to maintain order, but warned they could not be held responsible for any outbursts."

Legal experts say it is unlikely that Swiss prosecutors would have had time to examine any criminal complaint against Bush and take action, such as requesting him to respond to the allegations, before he left Switzerland.

Widney Brown, Amnesty's senior director of international law and policy, said the group would continue to press for Bush's prosecution.