IS death threat sent to Italian justice minister: reports

A death threat letter signed by Islamic State (IS) militants was delivered to the office of Italian Justice Minister Andrea Orlando on Thursday, the ANSA news agency reported, citing sources.

According to the sources, the letter was inside an envelope also containing two bullets used in Kalashnikov rifles. The letter allegedly signed by the IS militants was in Arabic.

Following the threat, on which an investigation was opened in Rome, local authorities expressed their support for the justice minister. "The threats will not stop his commitment against terrorism," Lower House President Laura Boldrini said in her words posted on a social network.

Italy has raised its terror alert after the recent terror attacks around the world, with additional police officers and heightened security measures especially in capital Rome, where the Catholic Jubilee kicked off earlier this month.

There have been a number of false alarms in recent weeks in the subway systems, squares and public venues of major cities in Italy, prompting a deployment of police forces and causing tension among citizens.

On Thursday, around 3,500 students were evacuated from a high school near the northern city of Milan after someone made a phone call saying there was a bomb in the school, but the alarm was later proven by police to be another false one. Endit