Police have identified the mastermind behind the Movimento 17 ottobre Instagram page, which promoted protests in several Italian cities. Youssef Siher, a thirty-year-old second-generation Italian of Moroccan origin , manages the social media page that promoted proclamations and street events.
The young man, formally resident in the province of Brescia, was taken to the police station in Milan for questioning. Searches were conducted at a friend's home on the outskirts of the Lombardy capital and at his parents' home in the Brescia area, and material of investigative interest was reportedly found. The man is believed to be a pro-PAL activist and a freelance journalist, having also collaborated with Il Fatto Quotidiano, which was interrupted a year and a half ago.
A high-level academic background, geopolitical studies, and a PhD, he collaborated with ISPI until 2024. This is the profile of the young man, who is under investigation for aggravated incitement to crime with terrorist purposes . He is anything but an outcast.
The identification comes amid a new wave of protests across the country, with cities under lockdown for fear of a repeat of what happened last weekend in Milan.
Crosetto
"My compliments to my colleague Piantedosi and the State Police for identifying the mastermind behind the October 17th movement. He wasn't an outsider, but a highly connected individual who had many more job opportunities and collaborations than most of his peers. From newspapers to public institutions, he rubbed shoulders with the elite of the Italian intelligentsia. And the results were evident," declared Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
(Unioneonline)