A terrorist attack on a popular Italian religious festival by two Turkish suspects has been prevented by Italian police, according to reports.
During the evening of September 3, Italian police arrested the two men, aged 21 and 31, whom they found with automatic weapons, pistols, and ammunition at a bed and breakfast in Viterbo.
This was near the Santa Rosa monastery and close to the route of the religious procession for the triennial Macchina di Santa Rosa festival, a UNESCO-recognised cultural event which draws tens of thousands of visitors.
The annual festival involves a 30-metre statue, carried in procession through the city to honour its patron saint.
Around 40,000 people had gathered in the town’s historic centre to witness the procession. Among them were Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who were swiftly escorted away by police.
Lauri Bambus, the Estonian ambassador, was also present.
According to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the Israeli ambassador had been expected to attend as well, but was later advised against it on safety grounds.
Police permitted the procession to take place, but required lights to be kept on. In previous years, it has taken place in the dark.
Meanwhile, counter-terrorism officers continued searching the streets with bomb-sniffing dogs, and snipers were deployed on rooftops.
Police had received intelligence permitting them to detain the suspects before any attack could occur.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised police for their swift action to ensure the festival’s safety.
“A decisive operation that made it possible to safely celebrate a unique event in the world”, she said.
Congratulazioni alle Forze dell’Ordine e al Ministro dell’Interno Piantedosi per il pronto intervento che ha portato all’arresto di due cittadini turchi armati a Viterbo, poche ore prima della festa della Macchina di Santa Rosa.
Un’operazione decisiva che ha permesso di celebrare… pic.twitter.com/bbwkFUAefD— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) September 4, 2025
Viterbo’s Mayor Chiara Frontini said “the Santa Rosa festival is a celebration for our community. We do not tolerate violent or intimidating behaviour.”
The city’s police chief added, “our officers are well trained to deal with emergency situations. Our goal is to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors.”
“It could have been a massacre, but the decisive intervention of the police foiled the attack,” said Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
Tajani also congratulated police, and said “the mayor and the prefect did well to guarantee the safe and panic-free transport of the city’s patron saint”.
While police currently believe the two armed suspects had planned a terrorist plot, they are also exploring alternative hypotheses. One involves arms trafficking, while a second possibility is that they planned to try to free a Turkish mafia boss who was recently arrested in Viterbo.
Police have not confirmed a definitive motive, and further inquiries are underway.
Turkish authorities are assisting Italian police in the investigation. They recently have stepped up operations to target domestic criminal organisations with networks abroad, working in close cooperation with European police forces.
In April, a coordinated series of raids across Turkey and several European countries resulted in 234 arrests on charges linked to drug trafficking and money laundering, along with seizure of over 21 tonnes of narcotics.
