Thousands of members of the Italian security forces and hundreds of ambulances were preparing to deploy on Rome’s streets at the weekend ahead of an al-Qaeda-linked group’s deadline for the government to pull its troops out of Iraq.
A statement published in an Arab newspaper on August 1 in the name of the group — the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades — had threatened to attack Italians everywhere unless Rome withdraws its nearly 3 000 troops within 15 days.
”Some 3 000 members of the security forces will be deployed between Saturday and Sunday to carry out checks in the city. The fire brigade and traffic police will also be mobilised and special guards are envisaged at police headquarters,” said the daily Corriere della Sera.
Another daily, Il Messagero, said a total of 5 000 people will be looking after security in the Italian capital at the weekend, while the Corriere said 200 ambulances and 300 doctors will be on call 24 hours to cope with emergencies.
Special controls are to be put in place around the Vatican City, the world-famous Roman landmark the Coliseum, as well as the airport and the United States embassy.
About 150 000 foreign tourists are expected to be in the Italian capital over the weekend. According to the authorities, Rome contains 5 000 to 6 000 of the 13 000 sites in the country that could potentially be targeted by extremists.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who will be spending the weekend at his holiday residence on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, has been a high-profile supporter of the US-led ”war on terrorism”.
In July, a statement posted on an Islamist website purporting to be from the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades threatened Italy with a ”bloodbath” similar to that of the September 11 attacks on the US if it keeps Berlusconi in power. — Sapa-AFP