Two armed Turkish citizens arrested before religious holiday in Italy

Italian police arrested two Turkish citizens in possession of weapons and ammunition in the city of Viterbo, central Italy, a few hours before the traditional transfer of the ‘Macchina di Santa Rosa’, a religious festival declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

The suspects were intercepted by agents of the Digos anti-terrorism unit after displaying behavior considered suspicious and, upon being searched, a submachine gun, a pistol and dozens of rounds of ammunition were seized, local media indicated this Thursday.

According to the authorities, no explosives were found, and for the moment it cannot be confirmed that the individuals were planning an attack, as some media outlets have suggested.

The arrest took place around 6:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. GMT) this Wednesday, just hours before the start of the religious event.

Faced with the possible threat, an extraordinary security plan was immediately activated, which included the deployment of special units, snipers, anti-explosives units, and reinforced surveillance along the procession route.

The ‘Macchina di Santa Rosa’ is a tower approximately 30 meters high, carried on the shoulders every September 3rd by a hundred men through the streets of the center of Viterbo, in honor of the patron saint of the city, Santa Rosa.

As an unprecedented preventive measure, the procession was carried out with the public lighting on in several sections, breaking with the tradition that requires the route to be done completely in the dark, so that the lighting of the Macchina stands out.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the work of the security forces this Thursday and described the operation as decisive for ensuring the safe development of the event.

“A decisive operation that allowed for the safe celebration of a unique event in the world, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage and representing a secular tradition deeply felt by the inhabitants of Viterbo and by very many Italians,” he wrote on his X account.