Italian authorities disrupted RoP plans to attack the Milan subway and a famous church in Bologna: Subway Terrorist Attack Thwarted. (Hat tip: Dodgeblogium.)

Italian authorities have thwarted planned terrorist attacks on a Bologna church and the Milan subway, according to the ANSA news agency.

Interior minister Giuseppe Pisanu reportedly revealed the plots at a political rally in Sardinia. “There was a terrorist (plot) that was to be carried out in our country and the monitoring and prevention action of our forces allowed us to thwart it,” he said.

Mr Pisanu said the plot involved seven people. Three of these had been expelled from Italy, two had been arrested, one was under surveillance and one was at large. He did not say when the operations took place.

The Bologna basilica which was among the planned targets contains a 15-century fresco Muslim groups have interpreted as insulting to Islam. They believe it depicts Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in Hell being devoured by demons.