Italy: Pakistani Arrested for Instigating Terror

 Italian police have arrested a Pakistani man who they say was spreading terroristic material via social media. The man, who was already awaiting deportation, was arrested on December 15 when investigators concluded that he posed an imminent danger.

The below article from Il Giornale is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/cronache/terrorismo-arrestato-bari-pakistano-1998853.html

"Instigated attacks". 31-year-old Pakistani arrested at Bari

28 December 2021 -14:06

Subject to an expulsion order in August, the Pakistani, in the last months, had followed a process of "auto-radicalization"

Francesca Galici

Another anti-terror operation in Italy. A 31-year-old Pakistani was arrested by the Special Operative Group of the Carabinieri on the orders of the District Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism prosecutor of Aquila. The arrest occurred December 15 and was validated. The investigating judge of Aquila, on the request of the prosecutor's office, has issued the order of precautionary custody against Arslan Faiz, accused of instigation to commit a crime, aggravated by the purpose of terrorism.

The man has resided for some time at Francavilla al Mare, in the province of Chieti, where he is employed as a car washer. On August 18, he had been issued an expulsion order from the country for order and public security, which had been issued by the prefect of Chieti. The Pakistani was awaiting execution of the forced repatriation, but for reasons of national security, the arrest was made. During the investigation, there was a rapid and intense process of Islamic "auto-radicalization" of the Pakistani, which had taken on extremist aspects of a Salafist nature.

And it was this last aspect that forced the investigators to take the final investigative activity regarding Faiz. A correct intuition on the part of the police, who succeeded in documenting a continuous activity of apologist activity, via Facebook, consisting of postings and comments in favor of terrorist methods and the victories of the Taliban militias. It also emerged from the investigations that Faiz allegedly forwarded videos and frames of jihadist propaganda via Whatsapp. This indicated an explicit activity of instigation to commit crimes of participation and associations with the aim of terrorism and terrorist attacks, which then led to his arrest.

The man's telephone was tapped, and it emerged that Faiz was communicating in the Urdu language with his co-nationalists, those living in Italy and Pakistan, attempting to influence them in a radical direction, posting laudatory images of the Taliban, and in particular, the terror organization, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In addition, in his phone, which had been previously seized, were found several videos and photographs, some of which were also posted and shared on social media, of training camps in Afghanistan, armed militiamen, and effigies of Osama bin Laden and Taliban leaders.

Arslan Faiz used overtly laudatory tones regarding the jihadist organizations, also explicitly inviting martyrdom against the "infidels". Now the man will have to wait to be judged by a tribunal, which will have to establish eventual criminal charges against him in respect to the accusation brought by the  District Anti-Mafia prosecutor.