Police in six European countries arrested at least 15 suspected members of an Islamist militant group that was planning attacks in Norway and the Middle East, Italian authorities said yesterday.

They said the militants planned to strike Norwegian and British diplomats in the Middle East and politicians in Norway but gave no further information about the potential targets and attacks.

Italy’s Carabinieri police led the investigation, with security forces in Italy, Britain, Norway, Finland, Germany and Switzerland taking part in yesterday’s swoop. A total of 17 arrest warrants were issued, almost all for Iraqi Kurds, and 15 suspects were picked up immediately. All of them face international terrorism charges.

Among those detained was Mullah Krekar, the one-time leader of the Ansar al-Islam militant group.

Mr Krekar went to Norway as a refugee in 1991 and had earlier been deemed a threat to national security. However, Norwegian authorities did not expel him to Iraq.

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