Youssef Siher exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by preliminary investigations judge Tiziana Landoni in Milan’s San Vittore prison on Tuesday.
Investigations into the unrest that rocked the centre of the Lombard capital on 17 and 18 October are proceeding on two separate tracks: messages found by investigators in a WhatsApp group with more than 230 members, and the Milan prosecutor’s inquiry into Siher’s alleged role in organising and spreading content linked to the so-called 17 October Movement.
Chats with threats: “We steal their weapons” and “set fire to a government building”
The Monza and Brianza Digos (General Investigations and Special Operations Division) began investigating after finding a message in a chat in which a user urged others not to put their balaclavas on straight away, to avoid being identified by police.
On 22 October, acting on a warrant from the Milan juvenile prosecutor’s office, investigators searched the home of the teenager believed to have written the message. They found a balaclava and an Under Armour T-shirt thought to have been stolen from a shop looted in Milan. A search of another minor turned up a second T-shirt of the same brand, also believed to have been taken during the looting.
But it was the first boy’s mobile phone that gave investigators their most significant lead, pointing them to a WhatsApp group with more than 230 members. The conversations referred to weapons, knives, smoke bombs and firecrackers, as well as plans to attack officers, snatch their weapons, damage police vehicles and set public buildings on fire.
Messages cited by investigators include “And we steal their weapons”, “Let’s grab one, beat him up and take his weapon” and “Hey guys, if we’re going to protest, let’s set fire to a government building”. Others urged people to get hold of knives, clubs and pepper spray, while some discussed stealing cars and targeting businesses, with references to a “Gucci robbery” and a McDonald’s.
The chats also mentioned further demonstrations planned for 24 October, which risked turning violent. The information gathered helped trigger a nationwide preventive operation.
Knives, knuckledusters and balaclavas: 150 searches
On 24 October, around 150 personal and home searches were carried out in several Italian provinces, coordinated by the Central Directorate of Preventive Police and involving Digos units and Flying Squads from various cities. The main aim was to find illegally held weapons and ammunition.
In Brianza, the checks covered 32 people living in 16 municipalities, including Monza, Seregno, Giussano, Carate Brianza, Limbiate, Nova Milanese and Desio.
Officers seized folding and butterfly knives, a hatchet with “1312” engraved on its blade – a numerical code for the acronym ACAB (“All Cops Are B*****ds”) – knuckledusters, a telescopic baton, two blank-firing pistols missing their red safety caps, glass breakers, balaclavas and other items classed as offensive weapons.
Investigators are continuing to piece together the alleged conduct and identify anyone else responsible.
Siher stays silent
Siher was detained on 24 October and is accused of incitement to commit crimes, aggravated by terrorist intent, and of organised violence during public demonstrations. Prosecutors say he runs the social media channels of the 17 October Movement, which was set up after the clashes in central Milan.
Landoni must now decide whether to validate his detention and grant the request for him to be held in prison pending trial, submitted by chief prosecutor Marcello Viola and prosecutor Francesca Crupi, who attended the hearing. Prosecutors argue there is a risk he could flee or reoffend. A decision is expected by 28 October.
Siher is represented by lawyers Benedetto Ciccarone and Yasmina Abu Sharar, who deny he incited violence or terrorism and have asked for his release.