Bush visit to Geneva canceled after protest threat

GENEVA (AP) -- Organizers have canceled a visit next week by former U.S. President George W. Bush to Switzerland because of security concerns.

Bush's spokesman David Sherzer says the two-term president was informed Friday by the United Israel Appeal that his Feb. 12 dinner speech in Geneva had been called off.

Saturday's edition of Swiss daily Tribune de Geneve cited the Jewish charity's lawyer, Robert Equey, saying the visit was canceled because of the risk that protests by left-wing groups could result in violence.

Several human rights groups including Amnesty International were also planning to ask Swiss prosecutors to open a criminal investigation of Bush over his admission that he personally authorized the waterboarding of terrorism suspects.