Nasiriyah, Iraq, Nov 13: Italian Defence Minister Antonio Martino said today the "same hand" hand had struck the Italian base here in southern Iraq as the United States on September 11, 2001. "For me it is the same hand as for September 11," he told reporters at the base demolished yesterday by a suicide bombing that killed at least 18 Italians and nine Iraqis.

"Nothing will change for our contingent. Security will of course be drastically reinforced," he said. Wearing a bullet-proof vest, Martino arrived in a helicopter that landed close to the site, before being driven to the scene in a convoy under the close protection of two more hovering coalition helicopters.

Martino, who stayed just a few minutes on the bomb site, had earlier visited the wounded Italians at a military hospital outside Nasiriyah, 380 kilometres southeast of Baghdad.

An Italian source said the bodies of the slain Italians would be flown home later today aboard a plane chartered for the mission. This southern Iraqi city was still in shock after yesterday's devastating suicide bombing, the heaviest military loss for Rome since World War II. Another 21 Italians were wounded along with 84 Iraqis.

Bureau Report