BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Union has announced the launch of a wide-ranging bloc-wide anti-terror project aimed at tackling terrorist financing, investigating the causes of violent radicalisation and protecting key infrastructure against attacks.

The European Commission is putting nine million euros (11.4 million dollars) into the fighting fund this year and plans to more than double the figure to 20 million euros annually from 2007.

"The actions financed under this project will enhance the European Unions capacity to effectively prevent and respond to terrorist attacks," European Commissioner for justice and security Franco Frattini said Thursday.

The bloc has been attempting to beef up anti-terrorist measures since public transport bombings in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005. An alleged threat to blow up transatlantic flights out of London earlier this year using liquid explosives has already led to new airport security measures.

The new scheme "will assist in better protecting critical infrastructures, preventing terrorist financing, the use of explosives and violent radicalisation and increase bio-preparedness by training intervention personnel and by identifying key objectives and proper measures to protect our citizens," said Frattini

Some of the money will be spent on expert groups and studies on the various problems involved as well as streamlining cooperation between members states and also improving information on terror threats and prevention practices for the general population.

Commission spokesman Friso Roscam Abbing said the wide-reaching project would cover everything from prevention and protection to response, pursuit, prosecution.

Some of the key areas which it is hoped will be tackled early on is the drawing up of a list of key European infrastructure sites regarded as requiring more protection, and therefore more money.

Discussion will also take place on what role Muslim Imams can play in reducing the terrorist threat, as well as ordinary school teachers.

"There is a need to identify and address the factors and causes that are contributing to making people take the path of violence and terror," the spokesman said.

This could eventually mean operatives infiltrating radical groups in the search for information, he added.

Experts will also look into the so-called "Swiss model" by which investigators can trace explosives back to their source after an explosion by use of a kind of chemical fingerprint.

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