(ANSA) - Paris, March 28 - Ali Mamlouk, the head of the Syrian secret services, visited Rome in January and met Alberto Manenti, the head of Italy's external intelligence agency AISE, Le Monde reported on Wednesday. The French daily said that Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar first reported the visit in February adding that the story had been confirmed to it by "three well- informed sources on Syrian affairs". It said that the visit took place following an invitation from AISE and called it "a violation of the EU legislative acts against the regime".

Mamlouk reportedly came to Rome "on a private jet made available by the Italian authorities".

