Rome airport steps up security
ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Italian officials said Thursday they have increased security at Rome's civilian airport -- Leonardo Da Vinci -- because of the large influx of people during the summer holiday season.
They said the threat level has not increased and Italy remains under high state of alert.
Interior Ministry sources and Airport sources said Italy remains under state of alert and is keeping up its hefty security measures during the holiday season. It is particularly guarding high tourist destinations like the Vatican.
Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said earlier this week, after a Italian security meeting, that Italy has received 17 different threats from al Qaeda linked terrorist groups since the first of July.
The ministry has analysed all of them and has decided to keep 13,000 sites throughout Italy under heavy guard with about a force of about 23,000.
Almost 100,000 people pass through Rome's airport each day during this time of year.
