(ANSA) - Rome, March 30 - Italian police on Thursday said they had busted an Islamist terror cell in the centre of Venice overnight which was thinking of placing a bomb on the iconic Rialto Bridge. Venice anti-mafia and anti-terror units worked in "close liaison" with Italian police and Carabinieri in the operation, and moved in after "blanket" surveillance of the alleged cell, they said. Three people were arrested and a minor detained in the operation, all originally from Kosovo and resident in Italy. Twelve raids were carried out: 10 in Venice's historic centre, one in nearby Mestre and one in Treviso to the north, police said. The operation succeeded in "reconstructing the relationship dynamics and the religious radicalisation of the various individuals as well as the places they frequented," police said.
Central terror prevention staff, Carabinieri sniffer-dog units, bomb squads and forensics police also took part in the operation. Also taking part were special units of Italy's security police belonging to the Polizia di Stato and the Carbinieri, the NOCS and GIS units respectively. The jihadi cell was busted in the small hours of the night when raids were carried out in the homes of those under investigation, police said. Police are now examining material seized during the raids.
Italy has upped security against jihadi cells following the Westminster attack in which a lone wolf killed four people.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro complimented police on a "brilliant operation that has smashed an extremely dangerous groups".
Two of the four Kosovars were caught on tape saying "in Venice you immediately earn paradise because of
the number of unbelievers here. Put a bomb on the Rialto Bridge". The wiretap remark was reported by interim Venice chief prosecutor Adelchi D'Ippolito at a press conference.
The magistrate underscored that the four Kosovars- three adults and a minor - were engaged "in a full-blown activity of
self-training in order to prepare to carry out criminal activities and terror attacks on the one hand through physical
exercises and on the other by viewing videos of ISIS fundamentalists who explained how to use knives, how you kill with a knife".
It has also been established that the four carried out simulations to build home-made explosives.
"On the part of all the members there was a great adherence to the ISIS ideology and support for the recent attacks, in particular the one in London on March 22 which received great backing and
appreciation".