Rome, March 4 – Italy is significantly overhauling its anti-terrorism strategy, updating the national list of sensitive targets and implementing more stringent security checks on all individuals associated with these locations. This decision, announced by the Viminale (Ministry of Interior), comes in the wake of several bomb scares in central Rome and a heightened international threat landscape.
Enhanced Scrutiny for At-Risk Locations
A new circular from the Viminale is expected to detail the updated directives, which will mandate thorough verification and identification of all personnel frequenting at-risk objectives. This includes employees, external collaborators, suppliers, and even casual visitors. The current approach, primarily relying on external fixed surveillance, will be supplemented by a more targeted control focusing on the individuals entering and exiting these buildings.
Brigadier Rinaldo Frignani, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, stated, “It is no longer enough to simply have external fixed surveillance; now a more targeted control is needed, not only on the building itself, which will still be under constant watch, but rather on the people who enter and exit it.” This shift will inevitably require a greater deployment of law enforcement personnel.
Recent Bomb Scares Prompt Immediate Action
The urgency of these new measures was underscored by four bomb scares in central Rome within just three hours. These incidents, involving anonymous phone calls to political party headquarters and abandoned trolleys in prominent public squares like Piazza Venezia, caused significant disruption and concern among residents and tourists alike. While these incidents were ultimately hoaxes, they highlighted the need for a robust and adaptable security framework.
Updated National Target List and Strategic Analysis
The national list of approximately 28,000 sensitive targets across Italy, with 4,400 in Rome alone, is currently undergoing a comprehensive update. This periodic review will be intensified, as will the meetings of the Casa (Committee for Strategic Anti-Terrorism Analysis). The Casa is responsible for collecting and evaluating intelligence from various sources to provide a real-time assessment of the threat situation.
Key priorities on the updated list include diplomatic and representative offices of the USA and Israel, American schools, Jewish centers, and Islamic centers. This reflects the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the potential for spillover effects. Additionally, thousands of institutional buildings, cultural and tourist attractions, and commercial establishments will be subject to the new vigilance system, which will heavily rely on video surveillance and artificial intelligence applied to security.
Focus on “Lone Wolves” and Upcoming Events
Authorities emphasize that there are no specific threats of organized terrorism or attacks by established cells. Instead, the primary concern remains “lone wolves” – individuals who may act independently due to self-radicalization. The Viminale has already alerted special and investigative units of law enforcement to maintain maximum vigilance during upcoming events in March, including the marches on March 8th and 9th, a national protest in Rome on March 14th, and other movements on March 21st and 28th.
These enhanced security measures are a proactive response to the evolving global security landscape, aiming to safeguard public safety and critical infrastructure across Italy. The government’s commitment to adapting its anti-terrorism strategies underscores the dynamic nature of the threats faced and the continuous effort to protect its citizens.
Source: roma.corriere.it
