An Italian court has jailed two North Africans convicted of being part of a cell plotting attacks in Italy. Moroccan imam Mohamed Rafik received four years and eight months, while Kamel Hamroui was sentenced to three years and four months. The court in Brescia also jailed Najib Rouass for 16 months on lesser charges. They are the first convictions in Italy under international terrorism laws that were introduced after the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. Spanish news agency Efe said Rafik had been linked by the Moroccan authorities to the Casablanca bombings in 2003 which killed 46 people.
Six other North Africans, believed to have been part of the same cell, are being tried in nearby Cremona. Investigators said the Cremona-based cell was connected to international militant networks - raising money, faking identity documents and recruiting extremists to fight abroad.
On Tuesday, the Italian government announced plans to introduce special measures to combat the threat of attack in the wake of the London bombings. Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu told MPs that "terrorism is knocking on Italy's door". He said security would be stepped up at ports and the public transport system, and mobile phones and the internet would be monitored.