Italy reviews security after Iraq bombs, threats

Italy is taking seriously a threat by a group demanding Rome to withdraw troops from Iraq and has reviewed security for religious sites after attacks on Christian churches there, security sources said yesterday.

"The situation was, is, and will remain very serious," a security source said following a meeting on Monday night of top police and secret services chiefs.

The meeting, chaired by Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu, was called to review what an official statement called "measures of prevention and vigilance to confront the internal and international terrorist threat".

The United States increased its security dramatically on Monday and police armed with assault rifles moved in to protect financial hotspots after Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge put New York and Washington on high alert.

The Italian meeting was held a day after a militant group claiming links to al Qaeda gave Italy a deadline of August 15 to withdraw its troops or face attacks.

"After that we will not be responsible for any loss of lives," said the Arabic-language statement signed by the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades and sent to the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper on Sunday.

The group said it was mobilising cells in Rome and other Italian cities.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a close US ally, backed the invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein. Italy has around 2,700 troops in Iraq.

The Interior Ministry statement suggested the threats, the second by the same group in a week, may be part of a "media campaign against Italy".

Abu Hafs al-Masri has said it was behind the Madrid bombings in March that killed 191 people, and attacks in Turkey and Iraq, but its claims have been met with scepticism by some security experts.