ROME, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Italian police arrested an Egyptian man suspected of being the mastermind behind the March 11 terrorist bombings in Madrid, Italian News Agency ANSA reported Tuesday.

    Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, known as "Mohamed the Egyptian", was seized Monday night in Italian northern city Milan after three months of surveillance by Italian investigators.

    It was reported that Ahmed, 32, lived in Spain before moving to Italy where he worked as a house painter.

    Another unidentified man was also arrested during the operationon the outskirts of Milan, Italian newspapers reported.

    Italian security forces are on high alert following the train bombings in Madrid which killed 191 people and injured more than 2,000.

    Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said recently that the Italian government had channeled a further 125 million euros (153.8 million US dollars) into anti-terrorism operations. Enditem