(ANSA) – Rimini, August 22 – The mayor of Venice said Tuesday the lagoon city would shoot terrorists before they have a chance of setting off bombs.

“Venice is the only city in Europe that has arrested four terrorists. They wanted to place a bomb on the Rialto (Bridge) saying that they wanted to go to Allah. We’ll send them straight to Allah without bringing down the Rialto Bridge,” said Luigi Brugnaro.

“If someone shouts ‘Allah Akbar’ running through St Mark’s Square we’ll shoot them,” he said, saying in Venetian dialect “ghe sparemo”.

Brugnaro, an independent, was speaking at the annual meeting of influential lay Cathiolic group Communion and Liberation.