Italy

[lrd]

Italy anti-terror police seize al-Qaeda tape threatening attack on Rome

ROME, Apr 02, 2004 (AFX-Europe via COMTEX) --

Italian anti-terror police have seized a videotape made by an al-Qaeda sheikh which threatens to "put Rome to the sword," Italian media reported.

Panorama magazine said the tape was recorded by Sheikh Abu Qatadah Al Falastini, a Jordanian member of al-Qaeda who is currently in prison in London.

"Those who will destroy Rome are already preparing their swords," the magazine reported the videotape as saying.

It was not clear when the tape was recorded.

The video was seized in a flat in Cremona considered to be a base for an Islamist terrorist network, led by 35-year old Mohammed Trabelsi -- who was arrested in the town a few weeks ago.

According to Panorama, the videotape also said: "We want to hit Italy because the dog Berlusconi supported the dog Bush", apparently referring to Italy's support for the US in the Iraq war.

Italian authorities are taking the threats made on the cassette seriously in the run-up to the Easter holiday, daily La Stampa reported.

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