Italian authorities arrest two suspected ISIS recruiters

Italy on Tuesday arrested an Egyptian and an Italian citizen of Egyptian origin on suspicion of terrorism offences and being members of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, the Milan prosecutors’ office said.

Prosecutors said the two were arrested in the early hours in their homes on Milan’s northern outskirts after a two-year investigation.

The two were involved in propaganda activities, tried to recruit potential Islamic State sympathisers online and were financing support initiatives for the ultra-radical group, the Milan prosecutors’ office said in a statement.

The investigation that led to the Milan arrests began in August 2021, when both suspects were identified as members of WhatsApp group chats attributable to IS, the statement said.

WhatsApp and Telegram chats seen by investigators featured a reference to the availability of weapons or the skills needed to use them, as well as an oath of membership and loyalty to IS.

Italy has seen several alleged Islamist attackers or suspects pass through its territory in recent years.