Italy arrests Algerian terror suspects

Italian authorities have arrested three Algerians suspected of links to a militant group that has allied itself with Osama bin Laden, it was reported today.

Investigators believe the three were “potential objectives” – ready to attack – and were not merely in Italy to provide logistical support such as false documents, which has been a common accusation against terrorism suspects in Italy.

The three were detained in Naples and Brescia on Tuesday night and yesterday on suspicion of association with the aim of international terrorism – a charge introduced in Italy after the September 11, 2001 attacks, news agency ANSA said.

ANSA identified the three as Yamine Bouhrama, Khaled Serai and Mohamed Larbi. It said they had links to the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, a militant Algerian movement that has declared allegiance to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terror network and is known by its French initials GSPC.

The agency said Bouhrama and Serai had lived in Norway with false documents obtained in France.

Italy’s carabinieri paramilitary police carried out the arrests.