Police anti-terrorism blitz that destroyed a cell of Pakistani citizens operating in Italy and other countries, connected to a wider network called " Gabar Group ", in turn linked to Zaheer Hassan Mahmoud, the 27-year-old responsible for the attack on Charlie Hebdo of 25 September 2020, the second in which two people were injured by cleaver, not the tragic one in 2015 in which 12 victims were recorded.
There are 14 precautionary measures carried out in Italy and abroad. The investigation, coordinated by the Genoa DDA, was carried out by Digos and by Antiterrorismo. Seven people ended up in cells: two arrested in Genoa, one in Florence, one in the province of Reggio Emilia, one in Bari, one in Treviso and another in Spain.
“One of the operations - underlined Diego Parente, head of the Prevention Police Central Directorate - against Islamic radicalism among the most important in Italy. It has a European dimension ”.
READY TO BUY WEAPONS
The terrorists were recruiting associates in Italy and were ready to buy weapons: " In two months we will buy them ", the head of the Italian cell and the "teacher" said to each other.
Again: “Now we have to go to every city to find those 10 people I need, the more we will be the better. Let me work for two months, then we find our den and make the Gabar group here in Italy ”.
THE PHOTO WITH THE ATTACKER OF PARIS
Two months before the attack on the former headquarters of Charlie Hebdo (the terrorist in fact wanted to hit the satirical newspaper that continued to publish cartoons on Muhammad, but did not know that after the first attack the headquarters had been moved), some of the arrested residents in Italy had photographed themselves with the bomber under the Eiffel Tower. They also published the photo on Facebook: “ Have a little patience, see you on the battlefields ”, they wrote.
THE BOSS
The cell leader had obtained refugee status in Italy in 2015.
He brandished machetes or large knives, mimicking the " cut of the throat " together with others on the street or inside the houses. And he posted the videos on social media.
Often he appeared wrapped in a black tunic and headdress while reciting texts praising violence or while in the company of compatriots. A continuous publication of videos and post apologetic and violent, in which he spread religious doctrines marked by violence and with a strong anti-Western vision, in full compliance with the line of preachers who incite the killing of those who stain themselves with blasphemy.
The investigation reached a turning point with the return to Italy, in April of last year, of the 25-year-old man, previously domiciled in Chiavari, where he had returned immediately after being readmitted from France, before moving in the province of Reggio Emilia.
(Unioneonline / L)
