Italy Arrests 21-Year-Old Moroccan on Terror Charges After Threats
Italian authorities arrested 21-year-old Zakaria Ben Haddi on terrorism charges after he allegedly posted threats and Islamic State propaganda indicating plans to carry out an attack.
Zakaria Ben Haddi, born in Vimercate, Brianza to Moroccan migrant parents, was detained Monday under orders from the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators determined that Ben Haddi had been publishing content glorifying martyrdom and promoting radical Islamic terrorism against Western nations and Christianity.
The suspect’s social media activity included praise for the May 15 car-ramming attack in Modena, which was carried out by 31-year-old Salim El Koudri.
Islamic State Propaganda Alarmed Investigators
Italian publication La Repubblica reported that Ben Haddi regularly posted Islamic State propaganda videos on Instagram and TikTok. Chief Milan Prosecutor Marcello Viola reportedly indicated that Ben Haddi had undergone a process of online indoctrination and radicalization, and was arrested on suspicion of joining the Islamic State.
Recent analysis of Ben Haddi’s social media presence revealed what authorities characterized as a dangerous acceleration in his ideological radicalization. Prosecutors came to believe the suspect was on the verge of executing a violent terrorist attack.
Threatening Messages Days Before Arrest
Authorities’ concerns intensified on May 30 after Ben Haddi posted a message stating he would make Italy better the following day. In a subsequent message, he wrote that people should not blame him for what he planned to do, claiming he was doing the right thing.
Prosecutors emphasized that these messages revealed the concrete possibility that the suspect intended to carry out an unspecified violent and sensational act. The arrest occurred days before Ben Haddi was scheduled to board a previously booked flight to Morocco on June 9.
The investigation, led by Chief Marino Graziano and Beniamino Manganaro, uncovered what La Repubblica described as strong evidence of guilt against the suspect.
Suspect Claims Posts Were “Informational”
Italian media reported that Ben Haddi told the court his posts were published solely for informational purposes. Judge Rossana Mongiardo is expected to issue a ruling Wednesday regarding pre-trial detention measures.
Regarding his sharing of content related to the May 15 Modena attack, Ben Haddi reportedly claimed to the judge that he knew it was not a terrorist attack but posted the video of the car running over pedestrians anyway. He further stated that his scheduled trip to Morocco was for taking an exam.
Part of Broader Counter-Extremism Efforts
Italian public broadcaster Rai News explained that the investigation culminating in Ben Haddi’s arrest stems from broader law enforcement efforts that previously led to the arrest of an Italian-Albanian man allegedly connected to an online network of young neo-Nazi and antisemitic extremists.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi commented on the arrest, stating that the Monday morning detention of a man residing in Brianza charged with international terrorism once again demonstrates the effectiveness of measures Italy has implemented to combat the dangerous phenomenon of Islamist radicalization.
With information from Breitbart News
