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Italy Thwarts Basilica Attack Plot
AP ^ | Tue Aug 20, 2:43 PM ET | FRANCES D'EMILIO

Posted on 08/20/2002 12:08:08 PM PDT by Destro

Italy Thwarts Basilica Attack Plot

Tue Aug 20, 2:43 PM ET

A Moroccan man is shown walking in the San Patronio Basilica in Bologna, northern Italy, in this picture taken from a home video seized Monday by Italian authorities and made available Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2002, during a press conference. Four Moroccans and an Italian, left, whose names were not made public, were arrested Monday under the suspiscion of terrorism after they filmed themselves near the central altar and the frescoes in the basilica. (AP Photo/Gianfilippo Oggioni, HO)

By FRANCES D'EMILIO, Associated Press Writer

ROME (AP) - Italian police arrested four Moroccans and an Italian who they say may have been planning to attack a Bologna basilica with a 15th-century fresco inside that depicts the Muslim prophet Muhammad in hell, being devoured by demons.

Prosecutor Paolo Giovagnoli said the five men were arrested Monday in the church itself, San Petronio Basilica, and were accused of criminal association with the aim of terrorism.

In June, Milan daily Corriere della Sera reported that Islamic extremists were plotting to attack the basilica because they found the fresco insulting to Islam. Also in June, plainclothes police were assigned to the basilica.

A group of Italian Muslims had appealed unsuccessfully to the Vatican ( news - web sites) last year to have the fresco, by Giovanni da Modena, removed or to have parts of it covered, arguing that it offended Islam.

The five men, who live in Padua, a city in northeastern Italy, were arrested after they videotaped the fresco and the central altar with a medieval-era crucifix, and were overheard saying worrisome things, Giovagnoli said.

"They were heard saying phrases hostile to (the Christian) religion, expressing the possibility of destroying" religious symbols, Giovagnoli said.

Among the phrases the men said, according to the prosecutor:

_ "That which (Osama) bin Laden does is just what's needed."

_ "If they don't take it (the fresco) away, everything will come tumbling down."

Police were still translating the conversations, which were spoken in Berber, which is spoken in northern Africa.

Authorities did not immediately release the men's names.

Corriere della Sera had reported that Carabinieri paramilitary police learned of a plot to attack the basilica by intercepting phone conversations as part of a larger investigation into Muslim extremists operating in Italy.

That investigation led to the convictions earlier this year of seven Tunisians in Milan who were accused of providing logistical support to recruits of al-Qaida, bin Laden's terrorist network, passing through Europe.

Asked if the Bologna authorities had uncovered any links between the five men and suspected terrorist cells in other Italian cities, Giovagnoli said so far nothing has turned up to indicate a connection.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: balkans; basilica; basilicaplot; berber; binladen; bologna; bolognabasilica; bolognacell; church; churchplots; churchpolots; clashofcivilizatio; fresco; frescoes; hatecrimes; islam; italianterrorcell; muhammadinhell; muslimprophet; northafricans; osamabinladen; padua; pc; politicallycorrect; sanpatronio
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To: aristeides; piasa
Minimal info on cell, but may help connect a dot or two later.
41 posted on 08/20/2002 1:51:52 PM PDT by Lion's Cub
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To: Romulus; nickcarraway
They're at it, again.

A group of Italian Muslims had appealed unsuccessfully to the Vatican ( news - web sites) last year to have the fresco, by Giovanni da Modena, removed or to have parts of it covered, arguing that it offended Islam.

What are Muslims doing in a cathedral (belonging to an unfaithful religion, as they see it), anyway? See, if they had stayed away, they would never have known about it and wouldn't be "offended." Are they willing to take suggestions from non-Muslims about the decor of their mosques?

42 posted on 08/20/2002 2:04:04 PM PDT by ELS
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To: cardinal4
Believe it or not, the Pieta has been behind a glass wall since 1943 when "bandits" tried slashing it up(keep in mind its hewn out of marble,)with hatchets. I never knew why they did it or who they did it for.

In 1943 the SS formed several Balkan Muslim divisions. They top the suspects list.


43 posted on 08/20/2002 2:06:47 PM PDT by Destro
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To: hellinahandcart
Things to remember not to say out loud

That could have something to do with it...

44 posted on 08/20/2002 2:11:45 PM PDT by ArrogantBustard
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To: freedomson
Right here!!!

http://www.armyofgod.com/Mohameddemons.html

Thanks for the link.

One of these days I'm going to have some fun with that picture.

45 posted on 08/20/2002 2:12:30 PM PDT by Freebird Forever
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Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: texasbluebell
Mohammad is at the very top towards the right.

The lower part of the central demon figure is, umm, interesting.

47 posted on 08/20/2002 2:14:51 PM PDT by Teacher317
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Comment #48 Removed by Moderator

To: ELS
Are they willing to take suggestions from non-Muslims about the decor of their mosques?

I don't remember being offended when I had to take off my shoes to walk in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. I just went along with it. Of course that was many years ago.

But now that I've wised up, isn't it interesting to see that the islamonazis all along have just been biding their time till they can get to the point where they can destroy as much of our culture as they can get their mitts on.

49 posted on 08/20/2002 2:20:45 PM PDT by texasbluebell
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To: Teacher317
I thought that part of the fresco was rather interesting, too.
50 posted on 08/20/2002 2:22:06 PM PDT by texasbluebell
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
I was thinking the same thing -- no way am I giving France, Germany or any other Euroweenie countries any tourist dollars until they stop their reflexive anti-American bigotry.
51 posted on 08/20/2002 2:44:25 PM PDT by ellery
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To: Teacher317
The lower part of the central demon figure is, umm, interesting.

I assume it is excreting (or rebirthing) those it has devoured, so they can be devoured again. This being FR, surely an authoritative commentator will be along in a moment or two.

52 posted on 08/20/2002 2:45:48 PM PDT by sphinx
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To: sphinx
I assume it is excreting (or rebirthing) those it has devoured, so they can be devoured again.

Yes, the former, my guess, and eternally, one would suppose. No virgins for Mohammed, or anyone else there, I'm happy to see.

53 posted on 08/20/2002 2:51:31 PM PDT by texasbluebell
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To: Salman
Looks like the fresco is labeled "MacHomer"....


54 posted on 08/20/2002 2:56:14 PM PDT by My2Cents
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To: texasbluebell
cloudband.com is an interesting site.
55 posted on 08/20/2002 3:07:25 PM PDT by ELS
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To: ELS
It does seem to be an interesting site. And I found this funny statement on the link for its discussion forum:

The Cloudband Discussion Forum has been suspended until further notice due to a complete dearth of intelligent or witty postings that make a contribution to the subject or, for that matter, to the world in general.

56 posted on 08/20/2002 3:18:30 PM PDT by texasbluebell
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To: Salman
A nice large scan please. That rocks!
57 posted on 08/20/2002 3:31:13 PM PDT by ecomcon
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To: Destro
Muslims are really starting to get on my nerves in general. I'm surprised there isn't some UN resolution against antique religious art depicting "offensive" imagry for them to wave under the world's noses.
58 posted on 08/20/2002 3:35:36 PM PDT by cake_crumb
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To: Destro
"A group of Italian Muslims had appealed unsuccessfully to the Vatican ( news - web sites) last year to have the fresco, by Giovanni da Modena, removed or to have parts of it covered, arguing that it offended Islam"

Muslims meddling in a Catholic church offends Christianity. We're even.

We tell them : "You mess with that church...we nuke Mecca."

59 posted on 08/20/2002 3:41:36 PM PDT by cake_crumb
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To: My2Cents
Looks like the fresco is labeled "MacHomer"...

"Mahomet". It doesn't go well into Latin. Notice how many variant spellings there are to Arabic names.

60 posted on 08/20/2002 3:43:30 PM PDT by Salman
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