A group of around 50 Western anti-war activists received visas yesterday to enter Iraq, where they plan to form "human shields" in an effort to deter a possible US-led attack on the Arab state.
The volunteers said at an impromptu news conference in the Turkish capital they hoped their presence and the possibility of Western casualties would encourage US political leaders and military planners to rethink any plans to bomb Baghdad for its alleged development of weapons of mass destruction.
"I am an American human shield on this trip to Baghdad to try and stop this war," said volunteer Mr John Rosse.
"I ask American troops headed here ... not to come; they have no business being here. They do not make good ambassadors. They are here to kill, murder, devastate the civilian population of Iraq. That is not an American thing to do."
The group is travelling across Turkey in a convoy, including a red double-decker bus, which is expected to cross into Syria today before entering Iraq. The volunteers left London late last month and headed overland across Europe.
On arriving in Iraq, they plan to disperse to populated areas of Baghdad and other parts of the country. Critics have said they are naively playing into Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's hands.
Turkey last week deported Mr Ken Nichols, a former US marine who helped organise the "human shields" campaign, after he tried to enter the country using documents describing himself as a "citizen of the world".
Mr Edward Cranswick, a seismologist who works for the US government, said he wanted to raise awareness among Americans.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Abdullah Gul, has denied a report that he had offered safe haven to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if he stepped down to prevent a US-led war. But Mr Gul declined to say what he had discussed with President Saddam's aide, Iraqi Vice-President Mr Taha Yassin Ramadan, during a secret visit by Mr Ramadan to Ankara earlier this month.
The mass-circulation daily Milliyet said the offer of a safe haven for Saddam had been made at the meeting, while Mr Gul said "we told them everything that is necessary to bring about a peaceful resolution of this crisis". -