国际英语新闻:40 Kurds investigated in Italy over int'l terrorism charges

MILAN, Italy, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Milan prosecutors have investigated a total of 40 people of Kurdish origin for international terrorism charges, local reports said on Friday.

The Kurds were suspected of having collected funds to finance "violent actions" in Turkey of the outlawed Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK).

They were reportedly resident in northern Lombardy region, of which Milan is the capital, and in central Tuscany and Lazio. Some of them had run commercial businesses in Italy for several years.

Also on Friday, sources quoted by ANSA news agency said extra police were deployed in St Peter's Square in Italian capital Rome due to rising concern about possible terrorist attacks targeting Vatican City.

The sources said the level of alarm was high even though there was no investigative evidence of terrorist plans in Italy.

Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said last week his country was a "non secondary" target of ISIS, the Islamic State which has seized many areas in Syria and Iraq, although there were not specific threats.