Crime-hit Naples may get troops

The Italian justice minister, Clemente Mastella, says he is considering sending the army into Naples to deal with an upsurge of violent crime.

"Before this was a taboo for me, but now I am open to discussing it," said Mr Mastella.

The governor of Naples' Campania region, Antonio Bassolino, urged tough action against the "deadly cancer of the Camorra" - the Naples Mafia.

The officials were speaking after three murders in Naples at the weekend.

Correspondents say the number of people killed or wounded in the city in recent weeks is higher than usual.

Some Neapolitans have been taking the law into their own hands. Last week a tobacconist shot dead a robber.

The authorities are also worried about the effect on tourism - last month a Canadian was hit by a stray bullet while strolling in one of the city's squares.

Mr Mastella said an army deployment in Naples would not involve soldiers going on sensitive missions. Their presence would allow police to concentrate on fighting violent crime, La Repubblica newspaper quoted him as saying.

"There is a need to tackle the sense of insecurity and fear among many sections of the population," he said.