Posted on 07/31/2005 8:18:26 PM PDT by Pikamax
Italy bans Islamic burqas Natasha Bita, Florence August 01, 2005 ITALY has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place.
The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy's parliament yesterday, doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador -- traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces -- or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public.
Police can extract DNA samples without a suspect's consent, detain them for 24 hours without a lawyer present, and deport foreigners suspected of terrorism under the new legislation. Soldiers involved in counter-terrorism have been given the same stop-and-search powers.
The changes, approved in a rare show of bipartisanship, came as Italian police arrested a fugitive hunted by British police over the bungled bombing attempt in London on July 21.
"In the course of the investigation, it has been possible to identify a dense network of individuals from the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities in Italy, believed to have helped the fugitive cover his tracks," Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu told the Senate. "We have before us a grave threat that has to be confronted with all the means of prevention and contrast that we have." Italian media yesterday reported that the suspected terrorist, named by British police as Somali-born Hussain Osman, was Hamdi Adus Issac, 27, born in Ethiopia and allegedly granted British citizenship using false Somali documents.
Osman, who reportedly lived in Rome for several years and speaks fluent Italian, is fighting Britain's extradition request via a European arrest warrant. He slipped through Britain's security dragnet last week by catching a train from London's Waterloo station to Paris. He then moved to Milan and Rome, where Italian police arrested him during a raid on a relative's apartment. They had been tracking him by monitoring his mobile phone.
Italy's biggest newspapers reported that Osman had admitted to his Italian police interrogator that he had carried a bomb on to a train in his backpack.
Italy's opposition leader, former European Commission president Romano Prodi, yesterday pledged to withdraw Italy's 3000 troops from Iraq if his centre-left coalition wins elections due by June next year.
"We will withdraw them as a occupying force because our job will be to aid in the reconstruction of Iraq," he said.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi -- who has said Italy will progressively withdraw its troops starting in September -- accused his rival of putting Italian soldiers' lives at risk by defining them as "occupying".
"He's breaking Western solidarity, justifying and enticing attacks against our troops," Mr Berlusconi said.
Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini accused Mr Prodi of exposing Italy to a terrorist attack.
OUTSTANDING!!
Any FReepers who've vacationed in Italy care to tell us how it went?
Sounds like a great time to do away with European motorcycle helmet laws.....
Come on. Chase the women out (banning burqas), and then, in a week or two, arrest the swarthy types having a hard time sitting down....
What about the nuns?
bttt
Why are the Italians leaving Iraq?
The entire West must ban religious head coverings. A symbol of power and control and repression that has nothing to do with religion.
bump
"noncitizens are allowed to vote in Roman elections"
Just like America! ;)
We are also known to have other big things too. LOL.
Just look at some of the fools who post on Free Republic about unfettered immigration etc etc all in the name of the almighty dollar. They are just as much of the problem as the liberal idiots who don't even know better.
If you will remember, the 19 9/11 hijackers were all here on overstayed visas etc etc? Why, because they know we don't have the guts to throw these people back on the flying carpet they came from.
BRAVO!
For the last 40 years, I have wondered why, in Free democratic societies this perversion has been "tolerated". The very concept of concealment of one's face explicitly conveys fear of recognition, a reasonable conclusion being that illegal or unacceptable behavior is the cause.
With the rise of terrorism, this conclusion is borne out as clearly as reasonable people need to have it. Yet the toleration of this overt threat is assumed "reasonable and normal". Why?
Makes no sense whatsoever. I have yet to hear any explanation for this tolerance; even a bad one.
In areas of ongoing armed conflict, where deaths occur daily and the "hidden faces" are active with impunity, the whole idea becomes absurd.
In areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Israel the present continuing toleration is doubly silly. The brave killers behind the hidden faces should be shot on sight!
If anyone has a cogent argument con, I would love to hear it.
Bring it on, genius.
LOL!
The thought did occur to me, too; but I suspect that the prohibition applies in ski areas only if the balaclava is accompanied by explosive vests or AK-47s!
you can't deport all of them.. you have to keep a cpuple on display as reminders/ deterrants
Proud to be Italian.
Ooooo la la! :)
Good point.
We need some as a reminder of a good example of a bad sample.
BUMP!
Before they get outa town, alla these bloody illegals should read up on "I Vespri Siciliani." Ya don't want push the exquisitely tolerant and polite Italians too far,
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