ROME, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Italy was planning to assign some 600 agents to 
investigate the suspected money trail of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network 
in the country, Italian Treasury Minister Giulio Tremonti was quoted as 
saying on Monday. 

Tremonti's ministry was coordinating Italy's newly formed Financial 
Intelligence Unit, "which will have more than 600 agents deployed and which 
includes the Treasury Department, the Bank of Italy, the financial police and 
close coordination with other G7 governments and our intelligence services," 
he told the International Herald Tribune newspaper. 

The U.S. Treasury Department was expected within days to reveal a list of 
companies and individuals linked to al Qaeda.

"We are well aware that the terrorist money trail, which covers the world, 
includes Italy," Tremonti said, adding that powers contained in new laws 
would be used to freeze accounts allegedly linked to al Qaeda. 

A source told the newspaper the U.S. Treasury Department's list would be 
released this week, possibly as early as Monday -- the day the global 
Financial Action Task Force on money laundering was due to begin an emergency 
meeting in Washington. 

Tremonti said Italy, was committed to the U.S.-led fight against terrorism. 

03:23 10-29-01