ET Friday 6 April 2001

'Nerve centre' for bin Laden terrorists is smashed in Italy

By Bruce Johnston in Rome

ITALIAN police said yesterday that they had smashed the "nerve centre" of an Islamic terrorist cell linked to Osama bin Laden that planned to carry out attacks across Europe.

Five North Africans arrested in northern Italy were accused of belonging to a cell in Milan linked to the wanted Saudi terrorist. They are suspected of being involved in a plan, foiled months ago, to attack the United States embassy in Rome, and of having ties with other Bin Laden terrorist cells, including in Britain.

The discovery of the planned terrorist strike in Rome led to the embassy's sudden closure on Jan 5. Italian magistrates handling inquiries yesterday described the Milan cell as "extremely dangerous". Three more people were still being sought, and two others who were the focus of inquiries were in prison in Jordan and Turkey.

In a co-ordinated operation yesterday, German police arrested an Algerian for belonging to a similar cell, this time in Frankfurt. In Frankfurt last December five other members of the same cell were arrested, and weapons, ammunition and explosives seized. They were suspected of planning a terrorist attack in a main central square in Strasbourg.

Their arrests triggered the security operation that led to the American embassy's sudden closure in Italy. Magistrates in Karlsruhe were quoted in Italian reports as naming the Algerian detained in Frankfurt as Samir K. He was arrested during a security operation in southern and central-western Germany.

Stefano Dambruoso, the magistrate heading inquiries in Milan, said the Italian operation also concerned terrorist cells operating in Britain, France and Belgium. The members of the Italian cell, all based in Lombardy, were also said to have links with a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan.

Mr Dambruoso said investigations in Italy had enabled Scotland Yard to detain four people at Heathrow Airport in February in connection with the same network. He said: "The group uncovered in Italy basically carried out logistic support activities, and in Lombardy offered cover and hospitality for major figures in the world of international Islamic terrorism."

The Milan cell had got round immigration and employment laws by creating a bogus co-operative, which members used to bring non-European Union nationals into Italy, and to make them qualify for work permits.

-- Anonymous, April 05, 2001