Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini hailed on Sunday the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as a crucial victory for the allied forces in the country.

"This will be the turning point,"he told Italian national radio news."It's clear that the capture of the dictator,who is also a symbol,is a decisive blow against the Iraqi guerrillas who are sowing death."

"I believe that in the first place this is concrete proof that the coalition forces,with the help of intelligence and Iraqi elements,have managed to topple this symbol of terrorism,"he added.

Other Italian government ministers also welcomed the news."This is a severe blow to international terrorism.We are closer to the objective of a democratic and peaceful Iraq,"said Italian European Affairs Minister Rocco Buttiglione.

The center-left opposition also voiced satisfaction but warned of terrorist activity after Saddam's arrest.

"It would be an illusion to think that this will resolve the situation.The terrorist networks of (Saddam Hussein's)Baath party could become even more aggressive now,"said Luciano Violante of Italy's democratic party of the left.

General Carlo Cabigiosu,military consultant to the Italian troops in Baghdad,also sounded a note of warning,saying the daily terrorist attacks in Iraq were "only marginally"dependent on Saddam.

"A very high level of vigilance will still have to be kept up,"he said.