On the evening of Wednesday, September 3rd, the Italian police foiled a suspected terrorist attack at the Santa Rosa religious festival in Viterbo, arresting two Turkish men armed with a machine gun, pistols, and ammunition just hours before the event.
The men—staying at a B&B along the procession route—were detained by counter-terrorism police after the owner reported suspicious behavior.
The operation—described by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as “decisive”—involved Italy’s Central Security Task Group (NOC) with counter-terror units, bomb-sniffing dogs, and snipers positioned on rooftops.
Around 40,000 attendees witnessed the procession, including Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who were quickly escorted away by police.
The festival proceeded safely, but for the first time in its history, all city lights remained on, to ensure public safety.
Authorities are investigating potential links to Turkish criminal networks and possible terrorist motives. The two suspects were not previously known to Italian law enforcement.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini commented on the event on X: “Two Turkish citizens were arrested shortly before the feast of Santa Rosa in Viterbo, armed with a machine gun, a pistol and numerous bullets. A massacre could have taken place, but the decisive intervention of the law enforcement agencies thwarted the attack,” adding:
Terrorism has no place in Italy.
