Italy puts the army on the streets to fight crime and illegal immigration

Its Centre-Right government signed a decree yesterday that will deploy 4,000 soldiers starting next week.

They will patrol with police officers in large cities such as Rome, Milan, Naples and Palermo.

Crackdown: Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, centre, reviews Italian troops in Iraq. Berlusconi's government is now putting the army on the streets in an attempt to fight crime

They will not have powers of arrest, but will be able to detain people until police arrive.

They will also guard 'sensitive targets' of terrorism, such as the Vatican, stations and embassies, and guard illegal immigrant detention centres on Italy's southern coast.

But the opposition criticised the move as token window-dressing that could hurt the country's image abroad and scare tourists away.

Other soldiers will help guard detention centres where illegal immigrants are sent after they arrive in Italy, mostly on its southern shores.

"This proves that we are determined to eliminate citizens' fears," La Russa said of the plan, which will remain in effect for at least six months.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom swept to power in April's election promising a tough line on illegal immigrants and crime. It dismisses criticism from the opposition centre-left which says it is exaggerating the problem.

"Sending the military out into the streets is essentially an image-building exercise that risks backfiring," said Marco Minniti, shadow interior minister.

Sunbathers ignore the bodies of two Roma girls lie on the sand after they drowned at sea near Naples in this file photo

"Soldiers patrolling the centres of cities that are our greatest tourist attractions is not a very nice calling card for Italy at the height of the tourist season," he said.

Immigration has jumped to the top of the political agenda after a spate of crimes linked to illegal immigrants, prompting legislation by Berlusconi's government.

Last week, the government declared a state of emergency to deal with an influx of illegal immigrants, giving police and local authorities added powers to tackle related problems.

The government's handling of immigration and minority issues - particularly regarding Roma people -  has sparked criticism from the Vatican, human rights groups and some European bodies.

A shocking picture published last week that showed Italians nonchalantly sunbathing  on a beach while the bodies of two drowned Roma children lay nearby led to international condemnation as observers began to question if Italy was returning to its fascist past.

In a report, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, expressed concerned about "a trend of racism and xenophobia in Italy targeting primarily Roma, Sinti and immigrants from EU or other countries".

He and other opposition members accused the government of trying to save face after malaise within police forces, which have been affected by budget cuts.

Antonio Di Pietro, an opposition parliamentarian, said the measures would be as effective as "washing one's face with dirty water" and that the real solution was not to call out the army but to give regular police greater resources.

"This is a task force without any force," he said.