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Italian cabinet approves new anti-terrorism measures

Xinhua, February 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Italian cabinet on Wednesday approved new anti-terrorism measures providing prison terms up to 10 years for those who join Islamic extremist groups to fight in combat zones.

Italy decided to boost its anti-terrorism legislation in the aftermath of the deadly attacks in Paris against satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a kosher grocery store and French police, which left 17 people dead in early January.

The cabinet's decree containing the security measures was unveiled by Interior Minister Angelino Alfano and Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti.

Under the new rules, people found guilty of recruiting or supporting so-called "foreign-fighters" would face a sentence up to six years in jail.

The package will also allow authorities to extend to terror suspects some preventive measures originally conceived for people under suspicion of mafia. As such, it will be possible to strip suspected militants of their passports and put them under special surveillance regime.

New penalties for illegally owning explosive or related raw materials were also introduced.

Tighter controls will be implemented on the web, with a "black list" of websites suspected of supporting Islamic radical activities and tougher penalties for those found guilty of apology or incitement to international terrorism.

The decree will be immediately implemented, but will need parliamentary approval within 60 days.

The provision proposed conferring power to coordinate all anti-terrorism investigations and proceedings to the existing national anti-mafia prosecutor.

Some 15 people have been so far expelled from the country under suspicion of being dangerous to national security, Alfano said after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Italy has been on high terrorism alert since after the Paris attacks. Tightened security measures were implemented around Jewish districts in major Italian cities, public offices, places of worship, broadcasters, embassies and monuments.

As part of the newly-approved security measures, the cabinet announced 1,800 soldiers would join the 3,000 military personnel already deployed throughout the country. Enditem