In recent days, the Digos of Trieste, supported by the Service for the Fight against Extremism and External Terrorism of the DCPP / UCIGOS, has carried out 5 precautionary custody orders in prison, two of which extended in Europe, and 2 measures of custody under house arrest of Iraqi citizens of Kurdish ethnicity. In the same context, several searches were carried out which also involved an Italian citizen. The operation, directed by the Public Prosecutor Dr. Massimo De Bortoli of the Trieste Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism District Directorate, involved, as well as Trieste, numerous cities in northern Italy.

The precautionary order also concerns another ten suspects (also drawn from the extent of custody in prison / house arrest) currently not present on the TN (with consequent internationalization of searches).

The investigations began with the info-investigative investigations on the account of the 30-year-old Iraqi citizen MFS, residing in Trieste, who was in contact with the 22-year-old Syrian citizen HASSAN Ahmed, alias ALJAF Aziz, who became responsible for the terrorist attack of 15 September 2017 in London , in which a rudimentary device was detonated aboard a subway car at the “Parson Green” station. The attack was later claimed by ISIS.

The long and detailed investigations - also carried out with the aid of technical means - while not bringing any evidence relating to crimes relating to international terrorism, allowed to identify and dismantle a wide and organized activity in favoring the transit of illegal immigrants from the area. of Kurdistan and directed to various parts of Europe also through the procurement of false identity documents upon payment of large sums of money.

The evidentiary emergencies collected (recognized by the precautionary order) have outlined the existence of a real "Trieste" cell made up of MFS (during the investigations, he moved first to Holland and then to Germany), while maintaining contact with the local cell , on whose activities he maintained the supervision, made up of numerous other associates; the detailed investigations have revealed how said transnational association has favored illegal immigration in Europe (with final destination, among other things, in Germany, France, Northern countries) of a large number of irregular migrants, mainly Kurds originating in the area Syrian-Iraqi, with transit and a stop for Trieste (a city that has increasingly revealed itself as a hub of the so-called Balkan route). In fact, dozens and dozens of episodes of aiding the illegal immigration of irregular migrants transiting through Trieste have been reconstructed, all also characterized by the purpose of making a profit (there are numerous references to money / payments / collections).

During the investigations, some members of the "Trieste" cell, also with the financial help of the transnational organization, "opened" logistical bases (to help illegal migrants favored by the association) also in other places in Northern Italy (including the Province of Bolzano). The organization has also shown that it is able to produce / procure false identity documents, to be used in the facilitation of the substantial illegal migratory flow.

It should be noted that the Iraqi citizen MFS - also thanks to an articulated international police collaboration - was arrested in Germany and stopped by the authorities of that country in execution of a European arrest warrant issued by the Trieste AG.

Trieste. Dismantled vast network dedicated to aiding illegal immigration