(Italian) Leader: Terrorists Planned To Attack Vatican On Christmas

WKMG 6 (AP) ^ | December 27, 2003

[ElkGroveDan]

ROME -- Terrorists planned to attack the Vatican with a hijacked plane on Christmas Day, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said in a newspaper interview published Saturday.

Berlusconi told Milan's Libero newspaper of a "precise and verified news of an attack on Rome on Christmas Day."

"A hijacked plane into the Vatican," Berlusconi is quoted as saying. "An attack from the sky, is that clear? The threat of terrorism is very high in this instant. I passed Christmas Eve in Rome to deal with the situation. Now I feel calm. It will pass."

He added, "It isn't fatalism, but the knowledge of having our guard up. If they organized this, they will not pull it off."

Berlusconi gave no further details in the interview about who the intended hijackers were, where the information came from and how the attack was thwarted.

Security has been tightened around the Vatican in recent weeks amid reports that churches could become terrorist targets. During Christmas celebrations, Italian police guarded the perimeter of the vast St. Peter's Square and pilgrims entering the basilica passed through metal detectors.

The Vatican refused Saturday to respond to questions about a possible Christmas threat.

Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement, "As in every case of suspected or valid information regarding security themes, I have no comment to make."

Berlusconi's office issued its own statement Saturday, saying the premier's remarks did not amount to official declarations.

"Premier Silvio Berlusconi gave no interview. One cannot confuse a quick exchange of Christmas greetings with political declarations," it said.

The premier also was quoted by Libero as saying he received information in November of another planned attack, on the subways of Milan and Rome.

"There were those who insisted that the stations be closed," Berlusconi is quoted as saying. "I took on myself the responsibility for avoiding certain measures. They would had the same effect on the minds of people as an attack, they would have killed us inside, with dramatic social and economic consequences.

"Terrorism wants to make us close up. I preferred to double up the safety checks."

[ElkGroveDan]

I passed Christmas Eve in Rome to deal with the situation. Now I feel calm. It will pass."

I'm glad Berlusconi's feeling better. Must have been something he ate.

[1066AD]

An Air France plane perhaps ?

[Dog]

One of those Air France planes..

[Calpernia]

Maybe. I have no idea how they would have made it from France to the Vatican though w/o being shot down.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping

[FairOpinion]

"An Air France plane perhaps ?"

==

My first thought as well. I would say it's quite likely.

[FairOpinion]

"The premier also was quoted by Libero as saying he received information in November of another planned attack, on the subways of Milan and Rome.

"There were those who insisted that the stations be closed," Berlusconi is quoted as saying. "I took on myself the responsibility for avoiding certain measures. They would had the same effect on the minds of people as an attack, they would have killed us inside, with dramatic social and economic consequences. "

===

I bet there were similar planned attacks in the US, they were just not made public.

Berlusconi, as Bush understands that we have to do everything we can, but NOT cower in fear, because that alone achieves the terrorists goals of harming the economy.

[Dog]

Seems AQ planned one hell of a Christmas eve and Christmas day...

The attempted hit on Mushereff(sp)..

The Air France plane hitting an unknown target in the US.

A plane into the Vatican..

[Publius6961]

I have always refrained from suggesting that we bomb mecca and medina into rubble to eliminate any pretense of sanity from the sandmaggots. Mind you, I would love to see a square mile of every capital leveled in muslim terrorist supporting countries for ever act of terrorism.

In a sane world, any attack on the spiritual and cultural center of any other religion would mean the instant vaporization of all muslim religious shrines outside Israel.

[freedumb2003]

In a sane world, any attack on the spiritual and cultural center of any other religion would mean the instant vaporization of all muslim religious shrines outside Israel.

Quite simple -- we should have buried every piece of 9/11 with some pork. That way AQ would KNOW that even if vaporized they will be buried with pigs. That would end the suicide concept right there and then (it worked for the British).

[Dog]

Note the choice of the Vatican as a target....they want to make this a religious war.

Even if it is not....they in their warped minds see it as one.

[Clintonfatigued]

Attacking churches and houses of worship on Christmas? This reveals the nature of the beast we're dealing with. What do they have planned for the future, lobbing grenades into kindergarten schools?

[Wild Irish Rogue]

"Berlusconi, as Bush understands that we have to do everything we can, but NOT cower in fear.."

When 19 Italians were killed by terrorists in Iraq-the whole country came together. No mealy mouthed whining-guess the Italian branch of the DNC was was at a peace rally elsewhere.

AP-Nov17,2003
"Their caskets draped in national flags, the 19 Italian victims of a bombing attack in southern Iraq lay in state Monday, while tens of thousands of mourners silently streamed past to pay tribute."

"I'm here to pay homage to these boys who have fallen for a just cause," Pietro Bernardini, 76, said as he waited in line to see the coffins at Rome's Vittoriano monument. "They should not have ended up in this barbarian way."

"Another mourner, 53-year-old Vilma Zangheri, thought of the family members left behind. "They should know that all of us Italians are close to them, with the greatest affection," she said.

"The deaths of the 19 Italians - 12 Carabinieri police, five army soldiers and two civilians - stunned the nation and created a groundswell of pride in the work Italian troops are doing to help rebuild Iraq..."

"I feel pain and admiration," said Tamara Crolla, a 19-year-old student who came from Caserta in southern Italy. "This feeling has brought everyone together."

Rome officials said they expected about a million people at the public viewing... On Tuesday, the whole nation will pay tribute. The Colosseum will turn off its lights, schools will observe a minute of silence, shops will close briefly, workers will pause for 10 minutes and movie theaters will keep their marquees dark."

[Dog]

What do they have planned for the future, lobbing grenades into kindergarten schools?

Believe it or not .......that is in the AQ terror manual..

[Dog]

You might like to look this over in your spare time...it is Bin Ladens Terror Manual..

Terror 101

[AmericanInTokyo]

I'll tell you, if they tried THAT to the Vatican on Christmas Day, I would be all for a crack team going into MECCA and obliterating the black quaballah, once and for all. I think Israel could do that for us.

[Calpernia]

Don't we have aircraft carriers out there that could deploy though? Our words were a war on terrorism. So couldn't we launch a counter strike with our planes?