Air Force One was due to make a refuelling stop at the Co Clare airport while bringing the US president home from a visit to Asian states, including Af-ghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Four hundred gardai were drafted in to ensure the safety of the president, who stopped over in Shannon while en route to Afghanistan earlier last week and left his plane to speak to US soldiers who were passing through the airport.

Anti-war activists were planning a protest outside Shannon Airport ahead of the brief stopover in the early hours of the morning.

Speaking ahead the protest, peace activist Edward Horgan said Bush's landings were a gross insult to Irish sovereignty and neutrality.