Premier Matteo Renzi must
declare a state of emergency given the looming threat of ISIS
terrorists to tiny southern Italian islands and their
inhabitants, the president of the consortium of Lampedusa and
Linosa fishers, Totò Martello, said Wednesday.
With ISIS gaining territory in Libya, the jihadists are
drawing closer to Italy, separated by only a narrow strip of sea
from Lampedusa, Italy's southernmost point.
"It may seem strange to you, but we are truly worried for
ourselves and our families," Martello said in a letter to the
premier and to Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina.
"Ever since ISIS arrived in Libya and our foreign minister
Paolo Gentiloni sounded the alarm on the approach of the
terrorists and the defence minister, Roberta Pinotti, said she
had 5,000 soldiers ready, we are not at peace," he added.
Fishers say they are upset by warnings from authorities to
keep a distance from the Libyan coast, which they say is hurting
their haul and the families.
"We are frightened of being boarded by terrorists and
people traffickers, one can't live with the nightmare of not
going home," said Martello.
"We need to be protected and defended, but to work we need
to be tranquil in a Mediterranean that every day becomes more
the world's powder keg".
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