Italian prosecutors seek detention for October 17 Movement researcher accused of terrorism

Italian prosecutors will seek judicial validation of the arrest of Youssef Siher, a 30-year-old researcher accused of terrorism for his alleged role in the October 17 Movement, with the hearing scheduled for tomorrow. The movement's Telegram channel has emptied amid reports of new encrypted chats on Signal. The Milan Prosecutor's Office antiterrorism section, led by prosecutor Francesca Crupi, will request confirmation of Siher's detention before a preliminary investigations judge. Siher, a second-generation Italian of Moroccan origin, faces charges including incitement to crime, organized violence at public demonstrations, and terrorism, and is allegedly among the administrators of the movement's Telegram and Instagram channels. Siher has been transferred to prison following a lengthy interrogation, and his wife is also under investigation. Reports from radical Telegram channels suggest new dedicated chats are emerging on Signal, though this remains unverified, and authorities must distinguish organizers' potential criminal liability from ordinary users who joined without violent intent.