ROME (AP) — Italian police have detained 10 people in the central Abruzzo region for alleged tax crimes and money laundering aimed at financing Islamic extremist groups.

Investigators said at a news conference Saturday that the eight Tunisians and two Italians are suspected of financing with "enormous sums of money" activities linked to the radical Islamic organization Al-Nusra.

According to prosecutors, the people detained, including the imam of the Dar Assalam mosque close to the city of Teramo, and an Italian accountant, used the money obtained through tax evasion to finance militant groups in Syria and some radical imams based in Italy.

Authorities say all 10 people detained are under investigation for alleged money laundering with terrorism purposes.