Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
MILAN – A joint operation by the police unit for political crime and terrorism (Digos) and the Postal Police has led to the urgent detention of Youssef Siher, 30, a university researcher, political scientist and freelance journalist of Moroccan origin. Investigators from the anti-terrorism district section of the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office consider him the “mastermind” and founder of the “17 October Movement”, the group at the centre of the investigation into the clashes and unrest that devastated the Lombard capital’s city centre in recent days.
The 30-year-old, transferred to prison after his first interrogation at Police Headquarters, was located on Saturday morning by tracing his wife’s phone, as his own mobile was switched off.
The charges: from terrorism to “organised violence”
The charges brought by Milan magistrates against Siher are extremely serious:
- Terrorism and subversion (Article 270-bis of the Penal Code): Alleged promotion and organisation of associations aimed at committing acts of violence with subversive purposes;
- Organised violence at demonstrations: Application of the new offence introduced by the recent Security Decree;
- Incitement to commit crimes and online apology: Alleged dissemination of hate messages and calls for violent action through digital channels.
Siher’s wife, a 32-year-old intercultural mediator of Lebanese origin living in Como, is also under investigation for her alleged involvement. According to investigators, the couple exclusively managed the movement’s Instagram and Telegram pages, which reached an audience of over 150,000 users. The prompt intervention by law enforcement prevented the publication of operational instructions with planned meeting points in eight Italian cities (Milan, Rome, Bologna, Turin, Genoa, Florence, Padua and Bari).
The Russian connection and ties with Noname hackers
The investigation reveals a particularly complex national security scenario. Digital analysis has raised the hypothesis of a structured alliance between the 17 October Movement and pro-Russian hacker groups (including Noname057(16) and Dark Storm Team).
The coordinated plan involved a joint attack to be carried out on 24 October: street guerrilla warfare would have been accompanied by a wave of DDoS cyberattacks aimed at paralysing Italian institutional portals, Defence systems and urban video surveillance networks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also commented on the matter, rejecting any allegations of interference in European countries. Meanwhile, the Genoa Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting checks to rule out any possible connections with previous investigations into foreign funding channels for Hamas.
Reactions from ministers Piantedosi and Crosetto
The detention of the movement’s founder has prompted immediate political reactions and statements from government leaders:
“The identification of the 30-year-old demonstrates the great capabilities of our investigators. The State’s message is clear: there will be no no-go areas or guaranteed anonymity behind social media or a balaclava for those who organise revolts and attacks.”
— Matteo Piantedosi, Interior Minister
“Congratulations to the Police and to my colleague Piantedosi. The movement’s founder was not a marginal figure but a well-connected individual who moved in elite intellectual circles and worked for newspapers and public bodies. And we have seen the results.”
— Guido Crosetto, Defence Minister
Siher, who recently also worked as a data evaluator for the American AI startup Mercor, had previously authored analyses and essays on the hardship in the suburbs and the issue of systemic racism in Italy.
