Police have arrested an alleged Tunisian terrorist in Italy. Polizia di Stato/Twitter
Police have arrested an alleged Tunisian terrorist in Italy. Polizia di Stato/Twitter
Police have arrested an alleged Tunisian terrorist in Italy. Polizia di Stato/Twitter
Police have arrested an alleged Tunisian terrorist in Italy. Polizia di Stato/Twitter

Suspected Tunisian terrorist on the run from French psychiatric centre caught in Italy


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

Police in Italy have arrested a suspected terrorist who has been on the run since escaping from a psychiatric facility in France.

He has been under investigation in France for allegedly condoning the actions of ISIS fanatic Mohamed Merah, who killed seven people, including three children, in a series of shootings in Toulouse and Montauban in 2012.

The man, who has not been named, escaped from an institution in Bassens on May 29 and is believed to have entered Italy a few days later.

Armed police raided an apartment in Terracina, in the province of Latina, and arrested him.

The man is being investigated for condoning terrorism and aggravated threats.

The French authorities described him as a "dangerous" person.

The investigation, conducted by the Latina police and terrorism specialists, began last May after footage showed him passing through the railway stations of Genoa, Rome and Naples.

He was eventually apprehended after he sent a series of emails to the Inspectorate General of the National Transalpine Police that contained alleged threats to French nationals and government authorities claiming he wanted "to end their lives by killing people".

Investigators identified the area from where the emails were sent enabling the police to locate his hiding place.

He was taken into custody by the International Police Cooperation Centre in Modane and has been handed over to the transalpine authorities.

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Updated: July 16, 2021, 11:54 AM