Italian-Moroccan man arrested in Italy over ISIS attack plot

A 22-year-old Italian man of Moroccan origin was arrested in Reggio Emilia (Northern Italy) on terrorism-related charges after allegedly planning a knife attack in the city center on behalf of ISIS, Italian authorities announced.

The operation was carried out by the DIGOS units of Reggio Emilia and Bologna, under the coordination of Italy’s anti-terrorism authorities and local prosecutors, local media reported on Monday.

Investigators said the suspect intended to carry out the attack on Thursday evening, when both a basketball game attended by thousands of spectators and a musical event in Piazza San Prospero were taking place.

The suspect was located near Via Roma, close to the central Via Emilia, and arrested by police officers. Authorities said he had already been under surveillance by Italy’s Central Directorate of Prevention Police since 2024, after previously being arrested in Germany.

Investigators said the young man had repeatedly expressed support for ISIS and declared his intention to act on behalf of the group. The inquiry also found that he had been in contact through a messaging platform with an alleged ISIS supporter who allegedly offered to train and finance him for an attack either in Italy or abroad.

According to investigators, the suspect returned to Italy in January after being expelled from Germany, where he had been living with his family, on the grounds that he posed a social risk. Upon his return, local authorities and social services in Reggio Emilia reportedly placed him in a support and rehabilitation program, which was later interrupted after counterterrorism investigators identified his phone number in chats allegedly linked to attack planning.

Police seized the suspect’s phone, and following a detention hearing held Monday morning, an investigating judge ordered him held in pre-trial detention. Investigations remain ongoing.