Police arrested a foreign fighter who wanted to join Isis
A 25-year-old Moroccan foreign fighter suspect has been arrested by the Italian Counterterrorism police (Digos) of Cosenza today in the early morning. The operation was directed by the Counterterrorism Central Service. The Moroccan national is being held on suspicion of training for the purpose of terrorism. He was residing regularly at Luzzi, in southern region of Calabria, and worked as a street vendor.
The suspect was being monitored by Digos since July, when he was refused entry by Turkish police on public safety grounds.
On returning to Italy, he was stopped at Rome Fiumicino airport, carrying only his Moroccan passport and a multi pocket backpack containing military-style trousers, a shirt, some underwear, a prayer mat, a book in Arabic, a booklet by the Muslim Brotherhood on the behaviors a good Muslim must keep according to the Qur'an.
Since then he has been constantly monitored by Digos officers by discreet surveillance and wiretapping. The investigations revealed his interest in Isis images, videos, and propaganda contents published on websites he used to visit daily. He was particularly attracted by videos on beheadings and military self-training.
Police could ascertain he was becoming radicalized, also because he often talked about his willingness to go and fight on the front lines for the Caliphate.
The fact that he had a one-way ticket in July and that his family ignored he had left also aroused the suspicion of the investigators.
This evidence convinced the investigators he was ready and determined to get to the war front line.