Madrid!, London!, Will Rome be Next?
Counterterrorism blog
The attacks in Madrid and London are having extraordinary security reverberations in Italy. Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu has successfully pushed through Italian Parliament a package of new anti-terrorism measures that clamp down hard on illegal immigration and on radical Islamic proselytizing among Italy’s youth. The new measures, approved July 22nd, make it a specific crime to recruit and train people for terrorism. They authorize government detentions of suspects for up to 24 hours without charges and simplify extradition and expulsion procedures. They also increase security measures on Italy's transport system and allow authorities to collect saliva samples from suspects for DNA testing. Italy is also debating whether to join France in suspending aspects of the Schengen Agreement which fosters free movement of citizens within the European Union.
Like Spain and Britain, Italians fear possible retribution for their troops having been engaged in Afghanistan and the Iraq coalition. And following the London bombings, Italian authorities are taking very seriously threats posted on the internet by a group that also claimed responsibility for the London bombings. The group, Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, warned that Rome had only one month to withdraw its troops from Iraq. The al-Masri Brigades had already threatened Italy previously on August 29, 2004, likewise demanding Italy’s withdrawal from Iraq.
Italy has been on high alert for a possible terrorist attack since the beginning of the year. Since January 2005, Italian authorities have looked into some 3,812 reports related to possible terrorist activities. This includes some 570 reports passed to Italian authorities by foreign intelligence services. Italians have also become very sensitive to the significant growth in Italy’s Islamic faith population during the last 5 years. At least part of this increase has been attributed to the illicit entry of large numbers of undocumented North Africans, Arabs and Pakistanis. This increase has coincided also with an important proliferation in the number of new Mosques established throughout the country. The number of Mosques in Italy has reportedly doubled since 2000 from 300 to over 610 in 2005. According to Rome’s Prefet, Emilio del Mese, who also heads the Italian counter-terrorism coordination, radical groups are rapidly expanding their presence within Italy’s Islamic community and are busy spreading radical Islamic theology. This includes actively proselytizing among Italy’s second generation Islamic community as well as among new illegal immigrants and Muslims living at the margins of Italian society.
Italian authorities recently expelled 8 Palestinians found to be recruiting young Italians for study at a radical madrassa in Pakistan. And according to a recent report issued by the Italian Military Intelligence Agency, SISMI, Italian youth are also being recruited as Islamic suicide bombers for service in Iraq and elsewhere.
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