Italian Police Arrest 21-Year-Old for Terrorism Charges
Italian authorities took a 21-year-old Moroccan man into custody on Monday, suspecting him of “international terrorism” after his social media activity hinted at a potential attack, echoing an incident in Modena last month.
Identified as Zakaria Ben-Hadi, he was born in Vimercate, Brianza, to Moroccan immigrant parents and turns 21 on June 2. His arrest came after the Milan public prosecutor’s office conducted an investigation into his social media posts that appeared to “glorify martyrdom,” promoting acts of terrorism and violence perpetuated by Islamic extremists against the West and Christians.
Additionally, he expressed admiration for a car-ramming attack executed by Salim El-Khudri in Modena on May 15.
Reports indicate that Ben-Hadi has been actively sharing Islamic State propaganda videos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Milan’s chief prosecutor, Marcello Viola, noted that the young man was apprehended amid suspicions of having undergone a “process of indoctrination and radicalization” online, potentially aligning with the Islamic State.
A deeper analysis of Ben-Hadi’s online activity prompted concerns among Italian officials about the rapid spread of extremist ideologies. Prosecutors fear he might be “on the brink” of executing a violent act.
Adding to the worries, on May 30, Ben-Hadi posted, “Tomorrow, I will make Italy better,” followed by another message: “I’m doing the right thing so don’t blame me for my actions tomorrow.”
Authorities have pointed out that these communications revealed serious concerns that he could be planning a significant, violent act. His arrest occurred just days before he was set to board a flight to Morocco on June 9.
In court, Ben-Hadi argued that his posts were merely for “informational” purposes. A judge, Rossana Mongiardo, is expected to make decisions regarding his arrest and pre-trial detention on Wednesday.
Concerning his reference to the Modena attack, he justified his actions by claiming, “I knew it wasn’t a terrorist attack,” despite sharing a video showing a car hitting a pedestrian. He also mentioned that his trip to Morocco was merely for “an exam.”
According to Italian public broadcaster Rai News, the investigation leading to Ben-Hadi’s arrest was a combined effort by law enforcement agencies, culminating in the arrest of an Italian-Albanian man suspected of being part of a network of “young neo-Nazis and anti-Semitic extremists.”
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi commented on the incident, stating that this arrest reflects the effectiveness of Italy’s measures to counter the threat of Islamist radicalization.
