Britain holds terrorism suspect at Italy's request

LONDON, June 7 (Reuters) British police arrested a terrorism suspect today in an operation linked to arrests in Italy.

Scotland Yard said Habib Ignaoua, 46, had been detained at his home in North London under a European arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities.

Earlier, Italian police sources said they had arrested nine Tunisians suspected of belonging to the al Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat or GSPC.

A British police source said Ignaoua's arrest was linked to two of the Italian arrests.

Scotland Yard said he was wanted for offences including terrorism and forgery.

It said the warrant against him alleged: ''Between 1997 and 1999 he convinced and organised volunteers to undergo military training in Afghanistan for jihad with the use of false documentation.'' Police did not give his nationality and referred further questions to the Italian authorities.

REUTERS GL ND1648