Al Qaeda Cell in Italy Planned Church Attack-Paper

Reuters ^ | 6/23/02

[Ranger]

— ROME (Reuters) - Italian investigators have broken up a Milan-based "terror cell" with links to al Qaeda which planned an attack on a 14th century church in Bologna earlier this year, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Corriere della Sera newspaper said the group was identified after intercepted telephone conversations between several Tunisians and Moroccans with links to a Libyan known as Amsa, considered one of Osama bin Laden's chief operatives in Europe.

Amsa was arrested last month in Britain, the paper said.

The Milan-based cell, which included members of Algeria's radical Salafist Group of Preaching and Combat, allegedly planned an attack on the basilica of San Petronio in Bologna, northern Italy, because it contains a fresco depicting Mohammad in hell.

Italian police began intercepting telephone conversations after the September 11 attacks on the United States, and recorded discussions between the suspected Tunisian and Moroccan extremists. They had regular contact with Amsa, who at the time was living in Milan.

Italian authorities tracked Amsa's movements to countries including Afghanistan and Iran, and, after contact with the CIA, learned that the United States considered him one of bin Laden's chief operatives, according to Corriere della Sera.

Italy kept tabs on Amsa, tracing his movements to the Netherlands and learning through other intercepted conversations he was considering an attack on the U.S. embassy in Amsterdam, the paper said.

At the same time, he was coordinating "cells" in Britain, Spain, Belgium and Italy, including the Milan-based group.

Corriere della Sera said the Milan group had planned to attack the Bologna church, whose 14th century fresco depicts Mohammad being torn limb from limb by the devil, in February this year, but investigators raised the alarm first.

Since the September 11 attacks, Italy has been among nations at the forefront of President Bush's fight against terrorism. Late last year, the State Department said it believed an Islamic center in Milan was a financial hub of al Qaeda in Europe.

 

Copyright 2002 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[ChadGore]

bump

[RJCogburn]

Thanks for the post.

I'd expect that 'sooner, rather than later' the bad guys will figure out they need a different means of communication. Then what?

[cajungirl]

I have been to that church and it has incredibly beautiful frescoes and other art work. It is a beautiful church, these terrorists just want to destroy, destroy, destroy. They are scum. This just sickens me.

[Publius6961]

Even subhumans can probably figure out that the only reason Mecca and Medina have been spared so far, is that they have refrained from attacking a high profile Christian historical church.

The Church of the Nativity came very close to pushing their luck.

I totally agree that for me, a Christian, a church is merely a building, and that for Muslims (in theory) it is even more so, but...
Symbolism is everything to these primitive savages, and they should remember that they are treading on very thin ice, in the forum of world opinion and the ultimate response against their mindless pursuit of "Harb al Islam"

[Kermit]

"Italy kept tabs on Amsa, tracing his movements to the Netherlands and learning through other intercepted conversations he was considering an attack on the U.S. embassy in Amsterdam, the paper said."

This is how you conduct counter-intelligence. Thank you Italy!!!

[Senator Pardek]

LOL - ya gotta love the ostriches at FR who claim "This has nothing to do with religion; it's just percieved injustice".

I'm not a Christian, but the cult these subhuman beasts follow demands, by definition, that Christianity must be destroyed.