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CNN Live At Daybreak

U.S. Embassy in Rome Issues Warning to Americans

Aired March 28, 2002 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. Embassy in Rome says it has credible information that extremist groups may target Americans in four Italian cities on Easter Sunday. The cities are: Venice, Florence, Milan and Verona. And if you're headed off to Italy for business or for vacation, we want to reinforce that warning for you. U.S. Embassy officials in Rome, as I've said, say extremists groups are threatening U.S. citizens in Italy this Easter weekend.

Our Rome Bureau Chief, Alessio Vinci, joins us by phone with details on this threat -- what can you tell us Alessio?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, the warning issued by the embassy here even indicates the specific date of Easter Sunday, this coming March 31. And the embassy is urging American citizens to increase their level of security awareness and avoid as much as possible large crowds. The embassy announcement did not identify which terrorist group may be involved or even the nature of the threat. Saying, however, that usually these groups do not make a difference between civilian and official targets. And the embassy is indicating as possible targets public places such as restaurants, bars, schools or universities, as well as places of worship.

Italian security officials say they are aware of the fact that American interests may be the target of a terrorist attack, but they say they have no specific evidence of a planned attack in any of the four cities mentioned in the warning issued by the embassy. Police chiefs in those cities say they have stepped up security controls, as they usually do during this busy period of Easter holiday. And the Italian interior minister also said that all police and intelligent forces have been for quite some time now -- ever since even September 11 -- on high alert. And the interior minister even saying himself he is planning to spend his Easter holiday between Florence and Venice.

According to embassy officials, however, the threat is serious and based on credible reports -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Any reason for these four cities?

VINCI: Well, again, the embassy is not saying much more than what is being issued in this statement. They are, however -- Italian officials are telling us that this warning was issued as a result of close cooperation between the embassy security staff and the Italian intelligence and police services. But they're not specifically what kind of threat specifically or what targets -- the specific targets may be -- may be involved here. They're just saying that there are those threats, and they're quoting those four cities.

But, again, U.S. officials -- excuse me, Italian officials here have been warning all along that American interest in Italy may be the target of a terrorist attack even before this warning was issued on yesterday here.

COSTELLO: Got you. Thank you. Alessio Vinci, reporting live for us from Italy this morning.

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