UK police arrest two on Italian extradition request

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) British police arrested two men today after Italian security authorities made a request for their extradition on charges related to terrorism, London's Metropolitan police force said.

Ali Ben Zidane Chehidi, aged 34, was arrested in Croydon, southeast England and Mohamed Salah Ben Hamadi Khemiri, aged 53, was arrested in Manchester, northwest England, by officers from the Metropolitan Police extradition unit.

''The two men were arrested on behalf of the Italian authorities under an extradition warrant in relation to allegations that between 2003 and 2005 they forged documents to facilitate the illegal entry into Italy of recruited volunteers to fight jihad in Iraq and Afghanistan,'' police said in a statement.

The men were due to appear before magistrates later today.

Italian police sources today said police had arrested 20 foreigners suspected of terrorist activity. They said the suspects were arrested as part of an operation that was being carried out in Italian cities and abroad.

Reuters SS GC1601