Italian police have carried out a two-day security dragnet in response to the London bombings arresting 142 people in Milan, the BBC reported Sunday.
Most of those arrested in Milan and in poor areas surrounding Italy's business capital were charged for drugs, theft or illegal immigration, although 3.3 pounds of explosives were discovered.
The report said 83 non-European Union citizens were found and authorities have started to deport 52 of them. Police ran checks on about 7,000 people after threats were posted on a Web site vowing attacks in Italy.
Italy plans to withdraw 300 troops from Iraq in September but the prime minister says the plan was announced before the London bombings, not as a response to terrorism.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
