Garda received JFK death threats

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Several death threats were made against President John F Kennedy ahead of his official visit to Ireland in 1963, Irish government papers have revealed.

President Kennedy was threatened on his Irish trip

Gardai were alerted to two telephone messages alleging that the US leader would be assassinated during his three-day trip and a third was phoned to the newsdesk at Independent Newspapers.

One threat claimed a sniper armed with a rifle would be waiting on a roof near the president's route from Dublin Airport to the Irish president's residence, Aras an Uachtarain, and would be ready to open fire as the motorcade passed.

The second involved a claim that a bomb would be planted on board an aircraft at Shannon Airport as Mr Kennedy prepared to return to the United States.

The classified files from the Department of Justice in 1963, just released, revealed a threat phoned to Independent Newspapers with a man claiming that an attempt would be made on the president's life at Dublin Airport.

It was treated as a hoax.

A letter was also sent to the American embassy, claiming that a bag of flour would be dropped on Mr Kennedy's head during his trip, but senior gardai assured authorities there was little chance of it happening.

Briefing notes from the garda commissioner's office about security for the president's historic visit said that, although the threats were thought to be bogus, extra security precautions were taken.

Officers were also armed with rifles, Thompson guns and revolvers to use if a sniper was spotted

Some of the measures included gardai travelling ahead of the motorcade and using binoculars to check all roofs near the route from Dublin Airport.

Officers were also armed with rifles, Thompson guns and revolvers to use if a sniper was spotted.

US Secret Service agents were also allowed to carry side-arms. Permission was granted even though it had been against the law for foreign security personnel to be armed.

As final security arrangements were put together, 10-14 days ahead of the visit, garda commissioner Daniel Costigan warned that "the eyes of the world would be on Ireland".

In a letter the commissioner stated: "(The visit is the) most important visit to this country since the establishment of the state, with worldwide publicity and British journalists are likely to be ready to criticise any fault in arrangements.

"While any attempt on the life of the president is most unlikely, we cannot overlook the possibility of some lunatic, fanatical, communist, Puerto Rican, or some other suchlike person, coming here to try to assassinate the president."

Mr Kennedy's three-day whistle-stop tour of the country ran from 26 June until 29 June 1963, with visits to Dublin, Wexford, Cork and Galway.

The US Secret Service praised the gardai for their efforts to protect the president.

On the night of JFK's arrival in Ireland almost half (42%) of the country's gardai were deployed on duty between the airport and the Irish presidential residence

One note stated that Mr Kennedy told assistant commissioner Michael Wymes immediately before boarding his plane in Shannon: "The police did a mighty fine job, thanks very much.

"I would like you to thank them all for me."

And a letter from Commissioner Costigan to the Department of Justice noted: "Mr Jim Rowley, head of the US Secret Service, said to me that in all his experience of presidential journeys, his staff never received from any other police force as much co-operation in planning the security arrangements or as much help in carrying them out as they did here."

The letter added that it was Mr Rowley's considered opinion that An Garda Siochana was the most efficient police force at crowd control, acting on the force of personality and self-confidence.

The papers also revealed that on the night of JFK's arrival in Ireland almost half (42%) of the country's gardai were deployed on duty between the airport and the Irish presidential residence.

Over each day of the visit, an average of 2,969 gardai were deployed. The documents noted that Mr Kennedy was mobbed on three occasions by massive crowds, but on each occasion it was his eagerness to great well-wishers in person rather than the fault of the gardai.

But in a letter from JFK's secretary, he expresses sincere appreciation and gratitude for the many splendid public receptions.