Police launched anti-terrorism raids across northern Italy yesterday and hunted at least 27 suspected militants in a two-pronged probe against Moroccan and Tunisian cells planning attacks in Italy and abroad.

Italian police, working on the results of investigations started in 2001, said they were acting in part on tip-offs from Tunisian collaborators being held in Milan.

The main investigation centred on a Tunisian Islamist group suspected of planning attacks against Italian public buildings, the Milan metro and the security forces, police said.

Police arrested four men on charges of criminal association stemming from that probe. Ten were sought in total, including another suspect in the Italian investigation currently being held by US forces in Guantanamo Bay.

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