9/11 ONE YEAR ON: TERROR ALERT: PM THE NO1 TARGET

TONY Blair is the new number one target for Al Quaeda death squads around the world, it emerged last night.

News of the increased threat to the Prime Minister came as he arrived in America for a council of war with President Bush.

The Prime Minister tops the global hit-list drawn up by Osama bin Laden's killers, replacing the US President.

He was briefed of the threat by intelligence chiefs two weeks ago. Security around Mr Blair has now been increased to its highest level since his election in 1997.

His protection experts now include SAS-trained officers.

The move came as Britain was put on amber alert, the highest terror warning for years, as the anniversary of the September 11 terror outrages approaches on Wednesday.

The alert is just one below red which warns of imminent attack.

The increased threat to Mr Blair emerged as he signalled that British troops could be in Iraq in weeks on a US-led mission to topple Saddam Hussein.

The Government's military experts have warned Mr Blair that he is at greater risk of an assassination attempt than Mr Bush.

But the Prime Minister has insisted he will remain accessible to the British public and will continue to travel abroad on official visits.

He has only asked: "Just make sure Cherie and the kids are protected."

Government security chiefs at MI5 and MI6 discovered the alarming new threat to the PM after months of surveillance monitoring Muslim fanatics.

According to a senior Whitehall security official, the information from "thousands of different sources" found that Mr Blair's name was continually mentioned.

"Mr Blair has been told he is on the Muslim hit-list," said the source.

The warning was relayed to the PM at a meeting with Eliza Manningham-Buller, the new director general of MI5.

The Whitehall official said when Mr Blair was told of the threat he "did not bat an eyelid".

He added that although Mr Bush is Al Qaeda's most hated enemy, he is protected by an army of security people and rarely leaves the United States.

"Blair is going all over the place, so it makes him more vulnerable and he's been briefed on this."

The latest risk assessment was put together by the Joint Intelligence Committee, formed of intelligence and security chiefs including M15, MI6 and GCHQ.

They had received evidence collected from bugging, talking to contacts and also from undercover agents.

But Mr Blair is determined the Al Quaeda threat will not stop him travelling around the world and last night he arrived in America for his Camp David talks with President Bush.

Earlier, a hawkish Mr Blair backed a new plan for "coercive inspections" to destroy Iraq's weapons sites.

Mr Blair referred to his belief that Saddam Hussein is developing a secret arsenal of nuclear weapons.

"Work of a highly suspicious nature is being done," said the PM, adding Saddam could be within months of possessing a nuclear device. Speculation is mounting that Mr Bush plans to send a 12,000-strong contingent of US Army Rangers and elite Delta Force troops from Kuwait into Iraq for a "short, sharp raid".

The two leaders were due to discuss options to remove Saddam from power ahead of Mr Bush's crucial speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday in New York.

Both leaders are battling to win international support for military action amid warnings that any strikes against Iraq must be backed by a UN mandate. Mr Blair stressed that fresh satellite evidence showed Saddam had been building new nuclear weapons facilities.

He said: "The threat is very real and is not just to America or the international community but to Britain.

"If these weapons are developed and used, there is no way in any conflict that Saddam initiated that using these weapons would not have direct implications for us in Britain."

Mr Blair gave no hint of when he would publish Britain's long- awaited dossier on Saddam's weapons, but promised it would go into "some detail".

But his fears were not echoed by US Secretary of State Colin Powell who said Saddam's military machine was "much weaker" than in the Gulf War 12 years ago.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is due to meet his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday for more talks on Iraq. As the amber terror alert was announced in the UK, security officials said there were about 700 people either born in Britain or living here who are supporters of Al Qaeda. Some have trained in Afghanistan. The RAF's "top gun" pilots are also on alert.

More than 440 RAF fighter jets armed with 3,500 rockets and air- to-air missiles are now at battle stations to stop suicide bombers striking British sites.

Dozens of sorties will be flown across the country for Wednesday's anniversary.

Last night a senior RAF source said: "After September 11 we have to think the unthinkable. If that means shooting down a civilian aircraft full of passengers, then that is exactly what will happen. There will be no second chance."

Police will keep a round-the-clock watch on scores of potential targets including airports, nuclear power plants, Government buildings, military bases, mosques and synagogues.

Security forces have imposed a one-mile air exclusion zone around London's St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday when the Queen leads a service for the 3,000 victims of the New York and Washington terrorist atrocities a year ago.

Armed police are also setting up stop-and-search road blocks in the capital. Scotland Yard has drafted in hundreds of extra officers for high profile patrols and undercover operations.

The 620ft high BT Tower, London Stock Exchange and 50-storey Canary Wharf building are among major landmarks under special protection.

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