Police: Left-wing group armed and ready

ROME, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A group of Italian terrorists arrested this week had a large cache of arms as well as bulletproof vests and police uniforms, police said Thursday.

Investigators found a Kalashnikov, an Uzi and three handguns near Padua, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.

"It was the complete equipment needed to carry out any kind of attack," a police spokesman said.

The suspects arrested Monday are allegedly members of a Red Brigade group. In the 1970s, the Red Brigades, a violent leftist group, were responsible for kidnappings and killings, notably the abduction and shooting of Aldo Moro, who served five terms as prime minister.

After this week's arrests, Prime Minister Romano Prodi urged trade unions to be "vigilant" against extremist infiltration.

"We must never let our guard down," he said.