ROME, March 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Italy has in the past few days sent more gendarmes and police officers to train stations, airports, ports and other important places to enforce security there to prevent terrorist attacks.

    After last Thursday's deadly blasts in the Spanish capital Madrid, Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu called a meetingon strengthening security, which was attended by heads of several national security agencies. They evaluated the already adopted anti-terror methods and agreed to cooperate more closely in fighting terrorism.

    The Italian government has also appealed to local governments for joint efforts in dealing with possible terrorist incidents.

    Recently, police across the country have been mobilized to workharder. Police at Rome's Fiumicino international airport have beenchecking passengers' luggage more carefully.

    At the Termini train station in the center of Rome, police officers are carrying out their tasks with the aid of police dogs.

    In the northern city of Naples, security agents are prepared toinstall digital video cameras in subway stations to ensure security.

    After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York in 2001 and last November's deadly blasts in the Italian police headquarters in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya, Italy has raised the terror alert level.

    At present, 12,700 gendarmes and police officers are protectingabout 9,000 important places such as government buildings, schools,churches and NATO military bases throughout Italy. And about 4,000Italian troops are also patrolling more than 160 important places.Enditem