Alfano: 'terrorism prevention is working'

Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano

 ROME -- The Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano has said that Italy’s measures to prevent terrorism have been successful so far, and that it is a “safe country” in so far as terrorism is concerned.

 He did however add that “zero risk does not exist” in Italy, and that no country could declare itself to be at no risk against Islamic extremist terrorism, but has made clear that Italy is still doing its utmost to confront terrorist threats.

 He spoke on Sunday at the traditional press conference which takes place every year on the August 15 Ferragosto holiday, which was dedicated to the question of national security.

  Alfano expressed that there is still a risk of extremist radicalisation in prisons, which the ministry is working on reducing.

 He also denied the arrival of jihadist fighters on the shores of Italy from the Libyan town of Sirte, and said that “at this point, our migrant control system is functioning quite effectively.”

 However, despite Alfano’s words of reassurance, the so-called Islamic State has expressly named Italy as one of its target countries for the first time. It said that Rome was not the only target, but also the whole of the country, which is seen by the Islamic State as the centre of Christianity and the symbolic capital of the “crusaders.”

 The press conference follows recent expulsions of Islamist extremists called for by Alfano, who has engaged in an anti-terrorism crackdown across the country.

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