Early on Wednesday morning, a 15-year-old was arrested in Bolzano on suspicion of involvement in a terrorist organisation. He is accused of several serious offences, including the manufacture and use of explosive devices and the dissemination of extremist content.
The investigation was launched following information about the young man’s extremist activities. A house search revealed incriminating material: two computers, a smartphone, an axe and evidence of his membership of a group. According to investigators, the teenager was active in extremist Telegram groups. A so-called ‘week of terror’ was planned there, in which a defenceless person was to be murdered and the act filmed. The 15-year-old is said to have actively worked on the realisation of the plan and planted the group’s symbols in public places. He also experimented with explosives and documented his attempts on video.
Shortly before his arrest, he sent a message to the group: ‘I have the police on the door’. Investigators discovered disturbing material on his smartphone: videos of acts of violence, school massacres and extremist propaganda content, including recordings of the Islamic State. They also found child pornography. His internet research focussed on the emotional state of terrorists during their acts and the perception of pain suffered by suicide bombers, the police reported in a press release.
After the police measures were completed, he was transferred to a juvenile detention centre in Treviso. Investigations to uncover further connections are ongoing.