Italian police arrest French al Qaeda suspect

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

By Laura Viggiano

NAPLES, Italy, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Italian antiterrorist police have arrested a French man suspected of belonging to al Qaeda and capable of securing explosives, sources close to the investigation said on Sunday.

The operation took place in a night raid in Naples between Sept 4 and 5 and France has filed a request for extradition of the 24-year-old suspect, who was of North African origin and considered dangerous, the sources said.

"In France, he is accused of participating in subversive activities," one source said.

There was no word on whether the man was linked to any immediate threat but news of the arrest coincides with a heightened alert over security in western Europe.

Last month, French authorities said they had received news that a suicide bomber was preparing to attack the Paris metro system and Western intelligence sources also said they had uncovered plans for a coordinated attack on European cities.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE69203D.htm

[Name removed]

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[Turborama]

2. That article says the operation took place a month ago, this one says it happened at the weekend

It also says he was 28 (not 24), was picked up near the central train station and "allegedly" had a bomb-making kit with him...

Italy arrest

Meanwhile, police in Italy have arrested a man of Algerian origin and wanted in France, who was picked up close to the central train station in Naples, allegedly with a bomb-making kit, the Italian ANSA news agency reported.

The 28-year-old man, for whom a Europe-wide warrant had been issued, was arrested on Saturday and was to be extradited to France, the agency said. The report did not give details of the charges.

Italian police had trailed and filmed the man for three days until they moved in on him. They said he had arrived in the southern Italian city in early September and visited two local mosques.

Investigators also seized a computer and a mobile phone, and the counter-terrorism prosecuting authority has opened an investigation, the report said.

From this Al Jazeera English article: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/10/201010319449574267.html