Sicilian Culture: News: Italy Treasury Minister Establishes Financial Intelligence Unit of 600 to Hunt Possible Al Qaeda Links

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Italy Treasury Minister Establishes Financial Intelligence
Unit of 600 to Hunt Possible Al Qaeda Links
ROME, October 29, 2001 (Reuters) - Italy was planning to assign some 600 agents to investigate the suspected money trail of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network in the country, Italian Treasury Minister Giulio Tremonti was quoted as saying on Monday.
Tremonti's ministry was coordinating Italy's newly formed Financial Intelligence Unit, "which will have more than 600 agents deployed and which includes the Treasury Department, the Bank of Italy, the financial police and close coordination with other G7 governments and our intelligence services," he told the International Herald Tribune newspaper.
The U.S. Treasury Department was expected within days to reveal a list of companies and individuals linked to al Qaeda.
"We are well aware that the terrorist money trail, which covers the world, includes Italy," Tremonti said, adding that powers contained in new laws would be used to freeze accounts allegedly linked to al Qaeda.
A source told the newspaper the U.S. Treasury Department's list would be released this week, possibly as early as Monday -- the day the global Financial Action Task Force on money laundering was due to begin an emergency meeting in Washington.
Tremonti said Italy, was committed to the U.S.-led fight against terrorism.

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