Alfano urges more EU police cooperation

(ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - Interior Minister Angelino Alfano on Monday said European Union nations must increase their information sharing to prevent terrorist attacks. "Our idea is that the Italian (anti-terrorism) model has worked because it showed that the model of police coordination works," Alfano said, in a speech to open the academic year at Italy's post-graduate police academy in Rome. "We're asking the same thing of Europe," he said.
    "The more information you share, the stronger you are in the fight against organised crime".
    Alfano said Italy's terrorism prevention efforts are working.
    "Since January 1, we've searched 200 ships and their passengers; 10,000 vehicles; and expelled 70 people who were radicalised in our country," Alfano said.
    "This is prevention. Once again yesterday nothing happened, and since no one sees it, no one thanks the police. Up to now, prevention in our country has worked".
    National police chief Alessandro Pansa also emphasized the importance of cross-border coordination.
    "The fight against terrorism sometimes puts us up against a culture of police cooperation and information sharing that in a majority of other countries is, frankly, lacking when compared to ours," Pansa said.
    Pansa said Italy's experience in fighting the mafia and drug trafficking have made Italy "better equipped" than other countries in terms of cross-border information sharing aimed at "creating international coordination around our actions, in always having a more global view of problems".