"Italy Muslims Welcome Anti-Terror Package"

[GreenPartyVoter]

ROME (AP) - Representatives of the Muslim community in Italy welcomed a package of anti-terrorism measures approved last week by the Italian government, saying in some cases that it does not go far enough to monitor what is happening in mosques and among the young.

The new measures, approved Friday, make it a crime to recruit and train people for terrorism, increase security on Italy's transport system and would allow authorities to collect saliva samples from suspects for DNA testing.

"The aspect of prevention is very important," said Yassine Belkassem, vice president of the Confederation of Moroccans in Italy. "But we will have problems with the second generation of immigrants in Italy."

Belkassem and others said Italy's growing Muslim community - except for the imam in Rome - often is in the hands of foreigners unqualified to come to Italy and claim to be imams, taking over or opening makeshift mosques or Islamic cultural centers, and leading sermons with little or no oversight.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20050725/D8BI2V9O0.html