CHRIS MOONEY

A SECRET military-style camp has been used by hardcore demonstrators to plan major disruption, including road and rail blockades, at this summer's G8 summit at Gleneagles.

The action plan for chaos has been drawn up at a "war summit" organised by extremist groups intent on causing mayhem at the July meeting of the world's richest countries.

Protestors discussed the best ways to paralyse Scotland's transport links and bypass the £20 million security operation during the three-day meeting of world leaders.

Some claimed there was no point in protesting unless violence was used.

They discussed whether to dress up as motorway maintenance workers and demonstrators were given advice on how to shut down railway signals through sabotage.

More than 300 anarchists – some in "urban guerrilla" dress – gathered for a so-called Festival of Dissent, held on the land surrounding the imposing 17th-century Birkhill House at Coalburn, South Lanarkshire.

Under the plans, tens of thousands of protesters are to be housed in three camps strategically placed across Scotland and will be deployed through a communications network designed to outflank the police.

The secret meeting, which was attended by an international cast of radical-minded people, was infiltrated by a British journalist this week.

The camp was made up of hardliners and veterans of previous anti-globalisation demonstrations in Genoa.

It is claimed that two key figures in the proposed campaign of extreme protest are a university dropout named Alessio Lunghi and Mark Aston, a university administrator.

Mr Lunghi, 27, is apparently a main player in the Wombles movement, a hardcore anarchist group that was responsible for much of the chaotic scenes at London's May Day demonstrations in 2002.

The son of an Italian wine importer and a primary school inspector, Mr Lunghi, from South London, is believed to have been directly involved in anti-G8 groups in the run-up to the summit.

Dressed in combat trousers and heavy, military-style boots, he is reported to have admitted at one meeting that there was no point to the anti-globalisation protests at the if there was no violence.

Mr Aston, who works at Cardiff University and was the vice-president of the Cardiff branch of the Association of University Teachers last year, is a key organiser of the anti-globalisation group Dissent, which was behind the festival.

Set up in 2003, Dissent is an umbrella organisation for anarchists and other radical groups, which say that they wish to see the overthrow of capitalism through "direct action".

Asked whether violence was likely at the Gleneagles summit, Mr Lunghi said: "Well, I would hope so.

"There's no point going otherwise."

Another organiser, who did not give his name, said: "The British State has a soft and fluffy image but it is not.

"It can be as violent as the Italian, German and Swiss police. Do not be fooled."

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said experience from protests at places such as Faslane would stand the police in good stead.

He said: "In addition to the specialist units from Scotland we will also be drafting in officers from English forces, such as those trained to tackle animal rights extremism.

"The Scottish forces have been training for the summit for the best part of a year.

"We will be aiming to facilitate lawful protest but we will swiftly stop illegal actions."