MAIL ONLINE: Taxpayers face a £250,000 security bill to protect Tony Blair from attack at the Iraq Inquiry.
Intelligence officers have picked up 'domestic chatter' suggesting his appearance warrants a high state of alert.
Thousands of anti-war protesters are expected to form a gauntlet of hate for the former Prime Minister on Friday as he attempts to justify Britain's involvement in the controversial conflict.
He is also a target for Muslim extremists raging at his decision to invade Iraq.
Mr Blair's six-hour appearance before the Chilcot Inquiry is being described as his 'Judgment Day' for sending British forces to topple Saddam Hussein, which cost the lives of 179 troops.
Demonstrators will be met by police road blocks, exclusion zones, armed officers and rooftop surveillance teams. The operation will cost at least £150,000 and could reach £250,000 depending on the number of protesters.
Mr Blair's long-awaited testimony comes days after security chiefs advised the Government to raise the level of terrorist threat from 'substantial' to 'severe' following the Christmas Day attempted plane bombing.
The inquiry panel, led by retired civil servant Sir John Chilcot, will put the former Premier on the rack over suspicions that he misled Parliament on the reasons for going to war before MPs narrowly voted in favour of military action. £250,000 ring of steel for Tony Blair's grilling: Huge security operation as Judgment Day looms for ex-PM over Iraq War >>> Ian Drury, Stephen Wright and Tim Shipman | Sunday, January 24, 2010
