Police in central Italy arrested three Moroccans on Saturday after finding films and Internet downloads at a mosque they believe was used for recruiting and training militants for “terrorist acts” abroad. “We found and put out of service what was a genuine ‘terrorist school’,” said Carlo De Stefano, head of UCIGOS, a branch of the Italian police that specialises in security investigations. Police said they believed the men, one an imam, had used a mosque at Ponte Felcino, near Perugia, as a training camp for international terrorism. Materials seized included instructions on how to fly a Boeing 747. “The investigations documented how the suspects ... were undertaking a laborious and in-depth operation of instruction and training in the use of weapons and combat techniques suitable for terrorist acts,” the police said in a statement. Police said the mosque had been used to recruit “terrorists” to operate abroad, possibly in Iraq. They were seeking a fourth Moroccan.
Among the Internet files were instructions on handling poisons, explosives and sending encrypted messages via computer. Police said there were also “instructions aimed at aspiring mujahideen to get safely to conflict zones”. Interior Minister Giuliano Amato congratulated the police and said the possible use of a mosque by militants was a serious concern.