ROME, July 31. /TASS/. NATO will be involved in fighting terrorism and in preventing militants from crisis areas from getting into Europe, Italy’s Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said in an interview with Messaggero, published on Sunday.
"Militants, returning from the "hot points," are dangerous and they should be under total control especially at times, where the Islamic State (terrorist organization outlawed in Russia) is defeated completely," she said. "In Washington, we discussed with NATO allies the plan of how to make it so the militants do not use their experience for organization of terrorist attacks in Europe."
A key instrument in cooperation would be exchange of information between intelligence services, she said.
"However, cooperation between the allies in fighting terrorists will be made at all levels," the minister said.
The defense minister said, in the international coalition fighting IS, the Italian contingent is the second biggest after that of the U.S.
"By end of October, 1,400 servicemen will be at different fronts - from the base in Kuwait, where the Italians are responsible for logistics support for the coalition’s bombers, to the contingent, involved in training of the Iraqi police and guarding the dam in Mosul."
The Italian defense minister said it is also important to train local forces in Libya to fight the Islamic State there.