Italian police arrest 142 in post-London anti-terror sweep News
Italian police arrest 142 in post-London anti-terror sweep

[JURIST] Italian police have arrested 142 people over the past two days in a security sweep to forestall potential terrorist attacks in the wake of the London bombings, according to a Saturday report [text in Italian] from Italian news agency ANSA. Some 2,000 carabinieri policemen have been detailed to patrol subways, trains and other sites in the Milan area. Regional carabinieri commander Gen. Antonio Girone said the focus was on Milan "as a possible primary objective of any possible terrorist action" in retaliation for the country's support in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. An unverified message [BBC translation] from a previously unknown Islamist terror group claiming responsibility for the London bombings declared Thursday that "We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all the Crusader governments that they will be punished in the same way if they do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He who warns is excused…". The arrests prompted 52 deportation orders for some 83 immigrants who are now in Italian police custody. Security has also been increased around the Vatican [AP report]. AP has more.