Air-to-air missile among weapons seized by counter-terrorism police in Italy after raid on far-right group

An air-to-air missile was among an arsenal of weapons seized by counter-terrorism police in Italy in a raid on far-right extremists.

Three people were arrested after uncovering the huge stash of automatic weapons and Nazi memorabilia, including Fabio Del Bergiol, a former customs anti-fraud inspector who stood for the Senate for FN in 2001.

Among the haul linked to the ultra-right group Forza Nuova were nine assault weapons, nearly 30 hunting rifles, pistols and bayonets as well as ammunition and antique Nazi plaques featuring swastikas.

The raids across several northern cities in Italy were the culmination of a year-long operation by the Turin branch of the General Investigations and Special Operations Division who are investigating Italian far-right help for Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.