Is Venice safe? Holiday travel UPDATE after foiled BOMB plot at historic Italian bridge
VENICE is a shining jewel in Italy’s tourist crown but a bomb plot by suspected terrorists has raised concerns over the safety of the city.
Stunning city of Venice will DISAPPEAR by 2100
Police have arrested four people in Venice, over an alleged plot to blow up Rialto Bridge.
The group are suspected jihadis who had been under police surveillance for a year.
Rialto is the oldest of four bridges spanning the Grand Canal of the Italian city.
The historic structure, which was built in 1588, had its existence threatened as the target of a suspected terror cell.
Is Venice safe? Travel advice after suspected terrorist bomb plot
Police had been monitoring the group amid concerns they were becoming radicalised, with plans to join Islamist militants in Syria.
The arrests were made after raids on 12 properties, including 10 in the city centre of Venice.
Three men from Kosovo – Fisnik Bekaj, 25, Arjan Barbaj, 28, and Dake Haziraj, 26 – along with a minor were detained at an address in Calle de la Mandola.
Police said all four of the suspects held Italian residence permits and two of them were reportedly working as waiters.
Is Venice safe? Police made arrests after a suspected bomb plot for Rialto Bridge
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of holidaying in the popular Italian city.
Venice, also referred to as the “City of Bridges”, is a place where people walk on foot, making the Rialto a busy thoroughfare year-round.
Despite the threat, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not yet upgraded its terrorism advice for the nation.
A general terror threat has been put in place for Brits travelling to Italy.
Is Venice safe? The Italian city is popular with tourists for its charm and history
There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against British nationals
On its website, the FCO said: “Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by foreigners.
“There are isolated cases of domestic terrorism. Attacks carried out by the extreme left-wing and secessionist groups have generally been aimed at official Italian targets, mainly in the form of small bombs and incendiary devices.
“There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.”
There are some three million British visitors to Italy each year and most of these are trouble-free.