Wider pathways for the Pope on the Granaries

The pathways Pope Benedict XVI will be using to walk through the crowd at the Granaries in Floriana on Sunday are wider than usual, on instructions from the Vatican, the chairman of the organising committee has confirmed.

The wider pathways are meant to put more distance between the Pontiff and the crowd after December's incident in the Vatican when a woman rushed towards the Pope and toppled him.

Addressing the media about the security arrangements ahead of the Pope's visit this weekend, committee chairman Charles Bonello said a command control centre was specifically set up at police headquarters, in Floriana, to coordinate security between different agencies.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo said there were no alarming threats linked to the Pope's visit.

"Through our counterparts abroad we have not received intelligence that leads us to suspect the Papal visit would pose a bigger risk than is normally expected in such occasions," Mr Rizzo said.

He said the police had taken into consideration the December incident and the tense atmosphere brought about by allegations of sex abuse against the clergy, which have embroiled the Vatican.

Mr Rizzo said the police had no indication of any protests being planned over the weekend. "We have heard rumours and we have spoken to people who we suspected could have been behind them," he said.

The police were also investigating vandalism on billboards promoting the Papal visit to Malta. Mr Rizzo urged the public to report any security threats, risks or even degrading messages or graffiti, to the police.

All 1,850 policemen would be on duty this weekend and Mr Rizzo insisted the police would continue offering services as usual.

This was also stressed by Mr Bonello, who insisted the country would not come to a standstill.

No parking would be allowed on the streets where the Pope will be passing through and the police have asked people to use public transport to avoid clogging up roads.

The command control centre will include representatives of other organisations including the Armed Forces of Malta, the Civil Protection Department, Enemalta Corporation, the Health Department, the Water Services Corporation and waste management services, among others.