Italy arrests five Tunisian men in 'vast anti-terrorism operation'

The five Tunisian men are suspected of ties to Anis Amri, the Tunisian man who killed 12 people in Berlin after driving a truck into a Christmas market in December 2016.

Italian police shot dead Amri near Milan five days later.

Sources Reuters spoke to said there was no evidence the five men were involved in the Berlin truck attack or plotting any act of violence on Italian soil.

During Thursday's police operation, raids were carried out in Rome and Naples as well as the towns of Latina, Viterbo, Caserta and Matera. 

Italian police have stepped up their arrests of terror suspects in recent months. On Wednesday, anti-terrorism police also arrested an Italian man of Moroccan descent for allegedly planning a truck attack.

Italy's Interior Minister Marco Minniti said the risk of terrorism is higher than ever in the country because foreign fighters are trying to return to Europe through Italy.

The Islamic State group has suffered a number of military defeats in Syria and Iraq that some observers say will push them to open up new fronts elsewhere. 

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