Bari, December 17-A 20-year-old Somali national arrested in Bari on terrorism charges allegedly wanted to stage an attack at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome at Christmas, according to wiretap recordings. Mohsin Ibrahim Omar, who also goes by the name Anas Khalil, is believed by DIGOS special security police in Bari to be linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Somalia and to be in contact with one of its opera-ting cells. “Dec. 25 is coming,” he allegedly said in recordings contained in case documentation.

“The 25th is Christmas… the churches are full. “Let’s put bombs in all the churches of Italy. Where is the biggest church? It’s in Rome?,” he said, according to the wiretap, apparently referring to St Peter’s. The FBI are assisting the investigation. A Somali man arrested on December 13 in Bari was allegedly found in a wiretap by Italian DDA anti-mafia and anti-terrorism forces to have called for bombs to be planted in churches. The alleged terrorist was arrested when trying to flee the Bari area on December 13.