Italian police arrested two armed Turkish men in the central city of Viterbo on Wednesday, just hours before the opening of a popular annual religious festival, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced.
In a statement Thursday, Meloni thanked law enforcement and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi for the arrests, which she said “allowed us to celebrate this unique event safely.” Thousands of people attended the Macchina di Santa Rosa festival, held every year on Sept. 3 in Viterbo.
Italian media reported that the two men had planned an attack during the festival, which was attended by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Police in Viterbo have not yet commented on the motive for the arrests or confirmed the reports of a planned assault.
The newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the Israeli ambassador had been scheduled to attend the event but was ultimately advised not to do so for security reasons.
In recent months, in cooperation with Europol, Turkish authorities have carried out large operations against Turkish criminal organizations operating abroad. In April, raids in Turkey and several European countries led to 234 arrests on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, with authorities seizing more than 21 tons of narcotics.
In May 2024, a joint operation between Italian law enforcement and Europol raided a home in the village of Bagnaya, near Viterbo, arresting Barış Boyun, a Turkish mob boss considered one of Turkey’s most wanted fugitives.