<P> The Ministry of the Interior is the lead government ministry on counterterrorism policy, public order and security, immigration and border controls, and civil protection . </P> <P> Within the Interior Ministry, the Public Security Department directs and manages the national police force and is responsible for implementing the public order and security policy; the Civil Liberty and Immigration Department sets immigration and asylum policy; and the Fire Brigade, Public Aid, and Civil Defense Department has the lead on setting emergency preparedness and response policy, including for terrorist incidents . Several other government ministries may also play a role in different aspects of combating terrorism and homeland security affairs; these include the Defense Ministry, the Health Ministry, and the Infrastructure and Transport Ministry . </P> <P> Chaired by the Interior Minister, The Public Order and Security Committee examines every issue relative to the protection of public order and security and to the organization of the police forces . Other key members are the Chief of Police / Director General of Public Security (who heads the Interior Ministry's Public Security Department), and a Council of Ministers' undersecretary with special responsibility for the intelligence services (this undersecretary is designated by the Prime Minister). The heads of Italy's other police forces also take part in the Public Order and Security Committee, and additional ministers may be involved depending on the particular issue to be discussed . </P> <P> The Interior Ministry has ministerial responsibility for Italy's Polizia di Stato (State Police), or national police force . At the central government level, the Interior Ministry's Public Security Department coordinates the tasks and activities of the Polizia di Stato . At the provincial level, the top public security authorities are the prefect, who is appointed by and answerable to the central government, and the questore, or the senior provincial official of the Polizia di Stato . Each questore has operational control of the provincial police headquarters, which has jurisdiction in the field of public order, security, and criminal and intelligence matters . There are also Polizia di Stato officials at the local level in charge of detached police stations . </P>

Who is authorized to identify groups or organizations as terrorist organizations