Italy's military presence in several international conflict zones puts the country at "concrete" risk of terrorism and thousands of troops are guarding 20,242 sensitive sites around the country, interior minister Matteo Salvini told lawmakers on Wednesday.
"The absence of Islamist terror attacks in Italy does not reduce the danger of the threat and concrete risks to which our country is exposed," Salvini told the constitutional affairs commissions of the upper and lower houses of parliament.
"We are have military commitments in various international theatres of war," he underlined.
"There are 20,242 sites in our country that are being guarded by 7,050 members of the armed forces," Salvini.
Around 100 prisoners are under surveillance in Italy's jails, which are a focal point for radicalisation, Salvini said.
"Jihadist terrorism now relies on small cells whose members are radicalised in a short space of time, rather than on well organised groups," he said.
Background checks will be carried out on foreigners who transit Italy and at its ports to prevent "infiltration by dangerous individuals," stated Salvini, who leads the far-right League party.
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