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Italy investigates Milan train station attacker for terrorism

Milan prosecutors have opened a terrorism probe into the man who stabbed two soldiers and a police officer on Thursday evening, according to Italian media reports.

Published: 19 May 2017 17:11 CEST
Italy investigates Milan train station attacker for terrorism
File photo of police on patrol outside Milan's cathedral. Photo: Olivier Morin/AFP

The attack took place during a routine check at the city's main train station at around 8pm on Thursday. The three victims were hospitalized but not in critical condition and one of the army officers had already been discharged by Friday morning.

READ MORE: Police officer and soldiers stabbed in Milan train station

Police initially told reporters that the attacker had been arrested for attempted murder and that the incident was not being treated as terrorism.

But later on Friday, prosecutors said they had opened an investigation into alleged 'international terrorism', according to a report by news agency Ansa. Police said they were investigating whether the man was behind a Facebook profile which had shared at least one video in support of terror group Isis, as well as whether he had ties to Islamic extremists.

The suspect came from a “difficult family”, police said in a press conference, and had been homeless for some time. He was known to authorities for drugs offences. After being arrested, he reportedly told police: “I am alone and abandoned.”

Tensions have been high around Milan's central station in recent weeks after police ordered dozens of migrants to move on from the area, in an operation involving helicopters, sniffer dogs, and mounted police at the start of the month. Milan's mayor later distanced himself from the raid, saying “these methods are not our model”.

READ ALSO: Terror threat in Italy: Low threat level, but rise in radicalization, says government panel

Lombardy's regional president, Roberto Maroni of the far-right Northern League, called for a planned pro-migrant march to be cancelled on Saturday “out of respect for the wounded officers”.

But mayor Giuseppe Sala hit back at the suggestion, saying: “The criminal who stabbed these law enforcement officers was Italian in all respects. Nevertheless, it is 'convenient' to blame this criminal act on migrants.”

Sala, who visited the injured officers in hospital, said he would lead the Together Without Walls march “for a safe and welcoming Milan.”

The terror threat in Italy is currently at level 2, the highest possible in the absence of a direct attack. The country has strengthened security measures, particularly in crowded areas and around major landmarks, following terrorist attacks on other European cities.

READ ALSO: How Italy keeps track of 80 terrorism alerts every day

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CRIME

REVEALED: Where in Italy you’re most likely to be a victim of crime

From theft and home burglary to cyber fraud and extortion, the latest figures reveal where in Italy you are most likely to fall victim to crime and the most common types of offences in major cities around the country.

Published: 17 September 2024 11:15 CEST
REVEALED: Where in Italy you're most likely to be a victim of crime

While Italy is among the safest countries in the world – it ranked 33rd out of 163 in the latest Global Peace Index report, right above the UK – crime is still a concern, especially in metropolitan cities and tourist hotspots.

According to the annual crime report from newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, which collated the most recent data from Italy’s Department of Public Security, Milan was the Italian city with the highest crime rate in 2023.

Overall, some 230,394 crimes were reported in the northern metropolis last year, which corresponded to 7,094 offences for every 100,000 residents.

Milan was followed by Italy’s capital, Rome, with 6,071 reported crimes for every 100,000 residents (up by nearly 600 compared to 2022) and Florence, with 6,053.

The top ten was completed by Rimini (6,002 reports for every 100,000 residents), Turin (5,685), Bologna (5,539), Prato (4,887), Imperia (4,838), Venice (4,825) and Livorno (4,743).

At the other end of the spectrum, Oristano, Sardinia, was the Italian city with the lowest crime rate in 2023 as it ‘only’ saw 1,511 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

Oristano was followed by Potenza, Basilicata (1,934) and Treviso, Veneto (2,258).

Single-offence rankings

While the overall crime rate ranking provides a picture of Italy’s major crime hotspots, it doesn’t allow for any insight into the types of offences committed locally, which is why it is worth looking into single-offence rankings. 

Milan, Rome and Rimini (a popular seaside resort on Emilia Romagna’s Adriatic coast) were the Italian cities with the highest theft rates in 2023, with the northern city registering nearly 3,900 reported thefts (furti) for every 100,000 residents and the capital stopping just shy of the 3,500 mark.

Milan was also Italy’s least-safe city when it came to petty theft and pickpocketing, with over 900 such offences reported for every 100,000 residents.

READ ALSO: How bad is pickpocketing in Italy’s major cities?

Florence was the Italian city with the highest robbery rate (rapine), with 136 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

The Tuscan city was followed by Milan (128) and Prato (124).

Outside of big cities and popular tourist destinations, a number of smaller and, perhaps, slightly unassuming Italian cities had their own crime ‘specialisations’ in 2023. 

For instance, Ragusa, Sicily, ranked first in vehicle theft, while Pisa, Tuscany, came in first in reported home burglary offences.

Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, had the highest sexual assault rate (24 reports for every 100,000 residents) in the country, whereas Crotone ranked first for attempted murder.

READ ALSO: The 8 red flags to look out for to avoid rental scams in Italy

Turin came in first for cyber fraud and online scams, while Isernia, Molise, was Italy’s extortion capital. 

National picture

At a national level, reported crimes were up by 3.8 percent compared to 2022, with online fraud and robbery registering 10.3- and 9.5-percent increases respectively. 

Assault offences also registered a 3.1-percent year-on-year increase, while there were 341 murders in 2023 – up by 13 against 2019. 

According to Marco Dugato, a researcher at the Crime Observatory of Milan’s Cattolica University, the latest increases “must be monitored, particularly for certain types of crime”.

In particular, “the rise of more impulsive, less planned, but more aggressive forms of criminal activity” such as assault and robbery “is of concern”. 

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