Italian Police: 20 Arrested Across Europe in Terror Sweep
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
MILAN, Italy — Italian police said 20 suspected Islamic extremists were arrested Tuesday in Italy, Britain, France and Portugal as part of a major anti-terror sweep against a cell based in northern Italy that was recruiting would-be suicide bombers to carry out attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The suspects were wanted on charges ranging from association with the aim of committing international terrorism to falsifying documents to aid illegal immigrants.
Eleven suspects were arrested in the northern Italian cities of Milan, Reggio Emilia, Imperia and Bergamo, while nine were arrested on warrants issued in France, Britain and Portugal, Italian news agencies reported. Portuguese police confirmed one person was arrested in Portugal.
Interior Minister Giuliano Amato praised the operation as an example of strong cooperation among European countries. Amato said the suspects were primarily Tunisian.
Italian police said the main cell was based in the northern region of Lombardy, and that intercepted phone calls indicated that the roots of militancy in the group dated back as far as 1998. The group also exhibited signs of caution, with one member saying, "things are being done with extreme calm, haste does not bring the desired results," according to a transcript of one of the intercepted calls.
"Once more, the central role of Milan and Lombardy in the panorama of Islamic militants has been confirmed," the Italian military police said in a statement.
Police executing the warrants discovered Al Qaeda manuals on how to produce explosives, detonation devices and poisons as well as instructions on guerrilla techniques. |
