By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

              VIEQUES, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The hundreds of protesters are down to
              20, and noisy demonstrations that captured the world's attention have given
              way to quiet prayer sessions.

              The terrorist attacks against the United States have blunted the movement to
              halt U.S. Navy bombing exercises on Vieques, slowing its momentum and
              creating disunity.

              ``The terrorist acts are the best excuse that those who aren't very committed
              to this fight have found to paralyze it,'' said Sixto Perez, the leader of one
              anti-Navy group on the Puerto Rican island.

              The camp protesters have put up outside the gates of the Navy's Camp
              Garcia was unusually quiet Sunday after the first week of bombing exercises
              since the Sept. 11 attacks. About 10 people were there.

              At the protest camp's busiest moment on Saturday, about 20 people bowed
              their heads in prayer. One woman shouted ``Navy Get Out!'' across the
              chain-link fence, but no one echoed her.

              During previous training exercises, hundreds turned out to shout anti-Navy
              slogans and break through Navy fences. Hundreds have been arrested and
              jailed for trespassing since 1999, when a Puerto Rican guard was killed by
              errant bombs on the range the Navy uses for target practice.

              Most protest groups agreed not to break into Navy land after the attacks on
              the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, partly for security and partly in
              solidarity with victims of the attacks, which killed dozens of Puerto Ricans.

              Some protesters, including Perez, disagree with that decision.

              But Puerto Rico's newspapers, usually filled with Vieques coverage, have
              been paying scant attention. And the U.S. territory's Gov. Sila Calderon,
              who opposes the Navy bombing, has said little.

              About 12,000 sailors are participating in the exercises, which include jets
              dropping non-explosive bombs and ships firing inert shells at the Caribbean
              island's range. The Navy switched to inert ammunition after the guard's
              death.

              No protesters have been arrested since the attacks, although some cut a
              section of fence Friday, Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Goode
              said. Increasing security, the Navy posted sailors with a machine gun across
              the fence from the protest camp.

              ``People are afraid because after the attacks there are armed people at the
              entrance, and since there's an agreement that no one should enter, why go?''
              said 38-year-old schoolteacher Ana Lopez.

              The Navy has bombed the eastern tip of Vieques for six decades, training
              sailors for conflicts from World War II to the Persian Gulf War. Opponents
              say the bombardment harms the environment and health of Vieques' 9,100
              residents -- accusations the Navy denies.

              In a nonbinding referendum in July, 68 percent of Vieques voters said the
              Navy should leave immediately.

              A binding federal referendum scheduled for November would ask islanders
              whether the Navy should leave in 2003 or stay and pay $50 million for
              public works projects.

              President Bush said before the attacks that the Navy should leave by May
              2003. But last week, the House of Representatives approved a defense bill
              to cancel the referendum and let the Navy stay until a comparable site is
              found. The House and Senate are to finalize the wording in coming weeks.