A 21-year-old man arrested in Brianza on terrorism charges: posts about ISIS and incitement to martyrdom.

The Prosecutor's Office Milano The Italian prosecutor's office has ordered the arrest of a 21-year-old man, Zakaria Ben Haddi, born in Italy to Moroccan parents and resident in Brianza, on charges of international terrorism. According to investigators, the young man posted content on his social media profiles deemed to be apologetic for terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamic State, with references to "Christians" and more generally to the "West," as well as messages considered to be incitement to martyrdom.

Social media posts at the center of the investigation

The investigation, coordinated by prosecutor Alessandro Gobbis and prosecutor Marcello Viola, focused specifically on the 21-year-old's online activity. Investigators reportedly monitored publicly accessible Instagram and TikTok profiles, on which the young man consistently posted videos and content linked to the jihadist galaxy, with references to the Islamic State and the first Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. According to the Prosecutor's Office, these materials were not neutral or documentary in nature, but were instead an expression of a progressive ideological-religious radicalization.

The reference to the Modena case of May 15th

Among the elements being evaluated by investigators is a reference to the tragic incident that occurred in Modena on May 15, when Salim El Koudri drove a car into pedestrians, injuring seven people. Currently, the terrorism charge has not been contested in that case. According to the Milan prosecutor's office, however, the 21-year-old allegedly filmed the incident on his social media, including posting the video of the car hitting pedestrians, placing it in a context investigators believe consistent with the glorification of violent acts.

The sentence that accelerated the arrest

The intervention of the Digos was triggered Milano The main culprits were certain posts published on May 30th, which investigators deemed particularly alarming. In one of these, according to the documents, the young man allegedly wrote: "Tomorrow I will make Italy a little better." Another text, written in English, allegedly contained a phrase with a similar meaning: "Don't blame me for what I do tomorrow, because I'm doing the right thing." According to the prosecutor, such content raised the concrete possibility that the suspect might commit an unspecified violent and egregious act.

The accusation of willingness to martyrdom

In the order, the Prosecutor's Office cites an alleged "willingness to martyrdom" that emerged through the publication of posts, videos, and comments. Specifically, it cites content on TikTok praising so-called "martyrdom operations," language that investigators believe directly evokes jihadist propaganda. The charge, still to be verified in court, is that of conspiracy to commit terrorism, including international terrorism, or subversion of the democratic order.

The ticket to Morocco and the fear of an imminent departure

Another piece of evidence highlighted by investigators concerns the possession of a plane ticket to Morocco, scheduled for departure on June 9th. According to the Prosecutor's Office, this circumstance would have aggravated the evidence, especially since the young man was about to leave Italy precisely after the publication of the content deemed most alarming. Investigators believe that the combination of the alleged radicalization process, the May 30th posts, and the scheduled departure would have required prompt intervention.

The 21-year-old's defense before the investigating judge

When questioned by investigating judge Rossana Mongiardo, the young man rejected the prosecution's interpretation, maintaining that his posts were solely for "informational" purposes. He stated that he did not intend to support any terrorist organization and that he had published the content for documentary purposes. Regarding the reference to Modena, he explained that he knew that incident had not been classified as a terrorist attack, despite having shared the video of the car being hit. Regarding the trip to Morocco, the 21-year-old maintained that his departure was related to the need to take an exam.

After the questioning, investigating judge Rossana Mongiardo will rule on the request to validate the arrest and on the possible application of pre-trial detention. The decision is expected in the next few hours.

The connection with the investigation into the so-called white jihad

The 21-year-old's arrest is part of a broader investigation, also stemming from investigations conducted by the DIGOS (Special Operations Division) and prosecutor Gobbis in another case that in April led to the house arrest of a young Italian-Albanian resident in Pavia. That investigation had highlighted an online network of young extremists with neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and radical ideological references. In this context, investigators have spoken of "white jihad," a phenomenon of hybridization between far-right imagery and communication or symbolic methods attributable to jihadist terrorism.

The messages acquired by the investigators

Among the content analyzed by investigators are messages attributed to the user "Zacky Ben," which discussed the possibility of subversion or a coup. On one occasion, the young man reportedly wrote, "It's impossible to stage a coup in the current situation," commenting on another user's comments about the need for more people to be organized and united by a common goal. Investigators also reportedly acquired other exchanges believed to indicate his association with extremist online circles.

The words of Minister Piantedosi

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also addressed the case, calling the arrest further confirmation of the effectiveness of the measures Italy has adopted against Islamist radicalization. The minister emphasized the role of the State Police, intelligence agencies, and the monitoring of IT and social media, highlighting how the coordinated action with the Prosecutor's Office Milano allowed for the timely identification of a potential threat. Piantedosi expressed his gratitude to law enforcement for their daily work to ensure the safety of citizens.

An investigation based on web monitoring

The case confirms the growing importance of investigative activities conducted in digital environments, where content, videos, comments, and interactions can become indicators of potential radicalization processes. According to Milanese investigators, the consistency of the publications and their evolution over time created a dangerous situation that justified the arrest. The defense, however, insists on the dissemination of the materials and denies any actual affiliation with terrorist organizations.

The judicial framework is still open

The case now remains in the hands of the judicial authorities, who will assess the validity of the evidence gathered by the Prosecutor's Office and the existence of the precautionary measures. The proceedings will clarify whether the content published by the 21-year-old constitutes propaganda, advocacy, and incitement to martyrdom, or whether it can be traced, as the suspect claims, to the mere dissemination of documents. The decision to confirm the arrest will represent the first judicial step in a case that combines national security, online radicalization, and social media control.