It received little attention, but the Treasury Department has gotten help from Italy in putting a key al Qaeda cell out of business.

In particular, Italy's Tribunale Ordinario di Milano has named fifteen associates of Abu Zarqawi as official terrorists, frozen their assets and thrown several of them into jail, according to the Treasury Department.

It was a particularly slick, and strategic, cell. It provided cash, cover and phony passports to terrorists throughout Europe, and was aligned with Zarqawi, the Iraq-based bin Laden associate and assassin.

Says the Treasury Department:

According to information provided by the Italian government, the fifteen individuals have helped illegal immigration to Italy and provided financial and material means for terrorist activities in Italy and Europe. Some of the fifteen have also recruited volunteers for military camps in Iraq, organized by the Ansar Al Islam group.

Earlier this month, the Treasury Department also designated all fifteen on the Italy list as terrorists - a formality needed to freeze assets and take other actions against any of the terrorists interests in the U.S.