Milan: Twenty suspected Islamic extremists have been arrested across Europe as part of a major anti-terror sweep against cells based in northern Italy that were recruiting would-be suicide bombers to carry out attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, police have said.

The suspects, primarily Tunisians, were wanted on charges ranging from association with the aim of committing international terrorism to falsifying documents to aid illegal immigrants. "The investigation has revealed recruitment, training and passage to aspiring terrorists to Iraq and Afghanistan," lead investigator Gen Giampaolo Ganzer, of Italy's paramilitary Carabinieri police, told a news conference yesterday.

Eleven suspects were arrested in the northern Italian cities of Milan, Reggio Emilia, Imperia and Bergamo, while nine were arrested on warrants issued elsewhere in Europe, Italian news agencies reported.

Authorities in Britain, France and Portugal confirmed arrests.

In Britain, authorities said two suspects were arrested in London and Manchester and face extradition to Italy. The men, identified as Ali Chehidi, 34 and Mohamed Khermiri, 53, were accused of forging documents to help volunteers enter Italy illegally.

Portuguese and French officials each confirmed one arrest, but did not release the suspects identities.

Portuguese police said they arrested a North African in Porto, about 300 kilometres north of Lisbon, on suspicion of international terrorism, illegal immigration and smuggling. He had been in Portugal for three years and had a Portuguese residence permit allowing travel within Europe's Schengen area.

Source : PTI