Terrorist cell 'was planning attack on Vatican'

Dismantled extremist network included Bin Laden bodyguards

Pope Francis salutes the crowd as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St Peter's square at the Vatican this week. Photo: Getty

Nick Squires

Italy dismantled an alleged Islamist terrorist network with links to al-Qa'ida yesterday, claiming the extremists had planned to attack the Vatican.

Italian authorities said the network included two men who were bodyguards of Osama bin Laden before he was killed in a raid by US special forces in Pakistan in 2011.