Ammar Sahouane

Ammar Sahouane was born in Algeria on January 1, 1967. He was charged under Article 270 bis of the Italian Penal Code for collaborating with others, including Halimi Djaelloul, Toubal Abdelkader, Khellili Fatah, and Yahiaou Abdelmadjid, to establish a logistical support network for the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in Italy. This group is functionally connected to the international terrorist organization al-Qaeda, with the objective of perpetrating acts of violence against the Algerian state and engaging in international terrorism.
Ammar’s activities were primarily focused between October 2001 and June 2005 in regions such as Naples, Aversa, Milan, and Vicenza. His involvement included the formation and organization of an Italian cell dedicated to international terrorism within the Algerian fundamentalist Islamic milieu, which emerged from the disintegration of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). This cell was primarily aimed at recruitment, procuring false documents, and raising funds for terrorist activities. Investigations revealed a comprehensive network, largely rooted in Algeria, where the group has long waged a violent and bloody opposition against state institutions, employing terrorism to instill fear in the civilian population.
The organization exhibited a complex structure that partially reflected its various factions, including FIS, GIA, and GSPC, and included operational links in several countries beyond Algeria, such as Italy, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These cells were tasked with various roles, including consolidating support among Algerian expatriates, securing funding for the organization, recruiting personnel to be sent to Algeria, and establishing safe houses for individuals involved in combat or facing judicial measures in their home countries. Although these cells functioned independently, they were part of a unified transnational framework, all sharing a common goal of conducting a holy war against apostates and non-believers.
The GIA-GSPC cell likely formed in Naples, where it maintained its operational center. From this center, funds collected from various cities in Italy were transferred to Algeria to support jihadist fighters through a structured transport system along the Naples-Marseille route. Additionally, the cell sourced essential identity documents in Naples, which were subsequently used by forgers to create false identification for both domestic and international use. Another activity of the cell involved procuring propaganda materials to incite and prepare for Islamic jihad among Muslim Arabs residing in Italy. Intercepted conversations revealed discussions about a “national reconciliation” project, serving as a form of amnesty for militants considered illegal by Algerian authorities. While some factions within the organization were inclined to promote negotiations with authorities, a more hardline faction, particularly based in Milan, consistently rejected any notion of compromise, opting instead for a violent affirmation of radical Islamic principles.
In 2011, the Public Prosecutor sought a six-year prison sentence for Ammar. Ultimately, the Court of Assizes in Naples sentenced him to five years of imprisonment, coupled with a mandatory expulsion from the Italian territory.