A HUGE security operation will swing into action today as record crowds are expected to descend on Washington DC for one of the most eagerly anticipated inauguration ceremonies in living memory.

At its pinnacle will be the swearing-in and inauguration speech of Barack Obama, which will begin at 10am on Capitol Hill, followed by the traditional parade to the White House.

Around the official ceremonial events is a swarm of unofficial balls, concerts and parties that began on Sunday and have attracted more A-list celebrities than most Hollywood party planners could dream of.

Bono, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Sting, Elvis Costello and Jay-Z are among those who have already appeared or are due to take the stage today.

The scale of the event has presented a security nightmare for the Secret Service agents tasked with ensuring President Elect Obama's safety. There have been painstaking preparations, including a run-through of the ceremony on Capitol Hill using doubles.

It is only the second swearing-in ceremony since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

There will be some 4000 Washington police with another 4000 drawn from all over the country, thousands more National Guard members and around 5000 soldiers and sailors. Around 57 different governmental agencies are involved, all overseen by the men in dark suits.

In addition to the Secret Service members running alongside the new president's car, there will be hundreds more mingling with the crowds.

Estimates of how many will attend have gone as high as four million, though most commentators have revised their forecast down to less than half of that number - not least because Mr Obama has been actively playing down his own party, warning the public of the difficulties of walking long distances in freezing cold weather.

After days of speculation over whether the public would be allowed to use their mobile phones, a request went out last night to keep mobile phone use to a minimum amid concern that the networks could be overwhelmed.

A trade body for the telecommunications industry has urged users to make voice calls sparingly and text rather than call friends.

Given the number of people likely to attend, it is feared that a surge of mobile phone use could clog up the system, leading to a breakdown in service. The networks are likely to come under pressure from the sheer number of people attempting to take and send pictures using their mobile phones.

News media in the US are adding to the potential problem by asking readers and viewers to provide photos of the event.

Broadcaster CNN has called on people to snap and send the exact moment that President Elect Obama raises his hand so they can produce a "photosynth" - a 3D picture record - of the occasion.

Major General Richard Rowe, who is overseeing security operations from a military base in Washington, said preparations had been under way for the last six months. He told the BBC yesterday that emergency plans had been lain to cope with a number of potential scenarios: major power failure, a car bomb or several, a cyber attack, the collapse of a bridge or panic among the crowd.

After delivering his inauguration speech, the then President Obama will escort George W Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a traditional lunch at the National Statuary Hall.

He will then lead the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of the White House. While most of his recent predecessors have walked some of the route, it is expected that the first African American president will travel in a heavily-guarded motor cavalcade.

The parade itself will include 15,000 people, 240 horses, dozens of marching bands, two drum and bugle corps and one mariachi band, all of whom will pass in front of the new president and his family at the White House.

Those wanting to get near either the ceremony or parade will have to go through a security screen. Umbrellas, pushchairs and large banners are among the long list of items that have been banned.

Later tonight, Mr Obama is due to attend 10 official balls, including one of the military, a youth ball and a neighbourhood ball.

Tickets for the latter have been given out for free to Washington residents, though many are likely to have been traded for a hefty price.

One of the biggest draws among the unofficial private parties is that being thrown by the Hollywood lobby group Creative Coalition, with tickets for the sold-out event starting at £3400. Actress Anne Hathaway, directors Ron Howard and Spike Lee, singer Stevie Wonder and actress Susan Sarandon are all expected to appear.

Another party being thrown by the Recording Industry Association of America is expected to feature appearances by Rhianna Akon, Ludacris and Jamie Fox.

The Def Jam Records' hip-hop ball will feature performances by LL Cool J, rapper TI, Dave Chappelle and Ashanti.

Businessman Earl W Stafford is throwing a ball for people who could not otherwise afford to attend, at a space two blocks from the White House. The guest list includes victims of hurricanes war veterans and those suffering from terminal illness. All have been provided with luxury accommodation and formal attire for the ball.

One of the highlights of the evening will be the president's first dance with the First Lady. In 1997, the Clintons danced to Unforgettable. The Obamas have chosen the Etta James classic, At Last.

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