"Italy boosts security at airports after Al-Qaeda threats"

Thursday, August 5, 2004

Italy boosts security at airports after Al-Qaeda threats
Agence France-Presse


ROME, (AFP) - Italy said Wednesday it had stepped up security at all the
country's international airports after threats from a group claiming to
be linked to the Al-Qaeda terror network.

The level of alert at Rome-Fiumicino airport and others handling
international flights has been raised from "Bravo" indicating a
significant risk, to "Charlie" which signifies heightened risk, airport
officials said.

A group calling itself "Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades - Al-Qaeda
Organization" threatened in a statement dated July 31 to attack Italians
everywhere unless Rome pulls its 3,000 troops out of Iraq within 15
days.

Security has been increased in particular for airline companies
considered most at risk, including British Airways, American airlines
Delta, Continental and US Airways and Israeli flag carrier El Al.

Metal detectors and hand-luggage searches have been introduced, while
passengers must also answer a questionnaire before their departure.

Almost 100,000 people pass through Rome-Fiumicino airport each day.

"We give (Italian Prime Minister Silvio) Berlusconi 15 days to pull out
of Iraq. After that, we cannot be blamed for the shedding of the blood
of any Italian anywhere, anytime, and we will trigger an earthquake in
your country," said the Brigades statement.

On Tuesday, the same group published another statement criticising
Berlusconi for saying in the past that Western civilisation was superior
to the Islamic world.

The Brigades claimed responsibility for the March 11 train bombings in
Madrid which killed 191 people and the November 2003 attacks in Istanbul
that killed 25.

"The problem with threats is that even when we strongly suspect that
they come from fantasists, we have to take them seriously and prepare
counter-measures," Defence Minister Antonio Martino said Wednesday.

"It's better to err on the side of precaution, even if it turns out to
be the work of a fantasist."

Newspapers reported that Italy was also stepping up security for its
athletes going to the Olympic Games which open in Athens next week.

Italy is also reportedly stepping up security in the run-up to August
15, when the country celebrates the Christian festival of Assumption and
a major public holiday known as Ferragosto.

"Religious holidays have in the past been identified as dates when there
is a high risk of attacks by radical Islamists," La Repubblica newspaper
said earlier this week.

Around 23,000 security agents have been deployed around 13,000 places
that could be targets, especially the Vatican.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said Italy had received 17
threats via internet since July 1 and was on a high state of alert.


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************