June 12, 2013
The leader and founder of the Italian branch of “Sharia4” an ultra-radical Islamic movement created recently and banned in several European countries, was arrested in an operation coordinated between the counterterrorism unit and the Digos of Brescia. The young man, Anas El Abboubi, according to authorities, was looking for targets to hit in Italy. The prosecution assumed that the Moroccan man was training with the aim of international terrorism.
In addition to the arrest of a Moroccan, a 21-year resident with family in the province of Brescia has also been arrested. The men of anti-terrorism police Ucigos and Digos are running a series of raids in the Brescia and in Pordenone against 4 other Moroccans.
All persons involved in the operation, according to officials, were affiliated with the Italian branch of Sharia4, a movement that arose in Belgium in 2010 inspired by the pro-jihadist preacher Omar Bakri and has gradually assumed the structure of an international network using dedicated sites and Youtube channels. Two other people are being investigated.
