Blair bodyguard 'fires gun accidentally'

(REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini)

One of Tony Blair's guards accidentally fired his gun at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport today as the former prime minister was boarding a plane. No one was hurt.

An Israeli police spokesman said the incident happened as the guard was unloading his gun prior to getting on the flight.

And airport spokeswoman said: "One of his bodyguards accidentally fired his gun, and the bullet hit the ground."

Mr Blair is now the envoy of the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers - the US, UN, EU and Russia.

He attended a Quartet meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik and had a round of meetings with Israeli officials before leaving Israel.

At the same airport in June, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was hustled onto his plane when a police officer shot himself dead.