Arjan Babaj

Arjan Babaj was born in Kosovo in 1989. He was the oldest of the cell composed mainly of Fisnik Bekaj and Dake Haziraj. While details of his early life in Kosovo remain sparse, what is clear is that he came to Italy as a legal immigrant and was a fully documented resident at the time of his arrest.
Babaj lived in the historic center of Venice, where he worked as a waiter, like most members of his small but radical network. His residence was located in San Marco 176, a few meters from the iconic Piazza San Marco, and served not only as his home but also as the operational base for the cell. His apartment became the group’s meeting point for prayer, ideological discussions, and plotting. Though not much is known about his formal education or previous employment, his calm demeanor led others to treat him with a degree of respect and reverence.
Arjan Babaj was the ideological anchor of the cell. His radicalization likely predated that of the others and appears to have been more doctrinal and theological rather than the product of sudden online exposure or external recruitment. He adopted an ultra-orthodox Salafist interpretation of Islam and rejected democratic institutions, Western values, and religious pluralism. His particular focus was on defending the Sunni ummah and denouncing “infidels,” including Shiite Muslims, whom he considered apostates.
He held anti-modern and apocalyptic beliefs, grounded in hadith and interpretations of the Quran that glorify martyrdom and jihad. It was Babaj who first introduced formal Islamic instruction to the group. He led lectures in his home, interpreting ISIS propaganda and explaining it in religious terms. Italian investigators identified him as the cell’s “spiritual guide” and a man whose theological authority lent credibility to the group’s extremism.
Babaj’s radical ideology was not only theoretical. He praised terrorist acts, spoke of the obligation of violent jihad, and encouraged others to abandon any connection to Western society. He also acted as an interpreter of ISIS teachings and was responsible for indoctrinating the group’s younger members, particularly the teenage Arjan Morina.
Although Babaj worked publicly as a waiter, his private activities revolved around the nurturing and guidance of a terrorist cell. He provided the physical space (his apartment) and spiritual leadership. Under his roof, members gathered to:
• Watch ISIS propaganda videos
• Read and interpret jihadist literature
• Praise martyrdom and recent terrorist attacks
• Discuss apocalyptic and theological justifications for killing “kuffar” (non-believers)
He possessed and shared violent videos, such as ISIS execution videos and tutorials on how to kill with knives. In fact, much of the digital evidence used to prosecute the group was recovered from Babaj’s phone and computer. These included step-by-step manuals on how to carry out knife attacks, as well as audio lectures by prominent ISIS scholars.
Babaj was particularly focused on spiritual indoctrination. He took on the role of explaining ISIS’s logic in religious terms and contextualizing current events within a divine framework. He frequently quoted the Quran and hadith to justify acts of violence. This made him a highly dangerous figure, not because he was an operational leader, but because he served as a radicalizer and legitimizer.
He was also involved in discussions of local attacks. Though not the logistical planner, Babaj participated in ideological brainstorming around possible targets in Venice. In recorded conversations, he spoke approvingly of using masks and costumes during Venice Carnival to conceal weapons, and he encouraged “hitting them in the heart,” referring to Rialto bridge and San Marco square.
Babaj’s role was that of a spiritual leader and theological authority. While Dake Haziraj and Fisnik Bekaj were more action-oriented and vocal, Babaj was the one who legitimized violence in the name of Islam. The other members often deferred to him during meetings and looked to him to justify their hatred and plans.
His apartment was the epicenter of the cell’s activities. There, he offered not just space but ideological training, which he conducted with a level of consistency and confidence that allowed him to influence the members deeply.
Babaj was also one of the most media-savvy members. He possessed dozens of ISIS propaganda videos and engaged in online dissemination of radical content. He connected with accounts that praised terrorism and helped propagate jihadist narratives. Authorities noted his deliberate attempts to translate complex extremist ideology into more accessible language for the radicals around him.
In summary, Babaj was the intellectual foundation of the cell – a soft-spoken but deeply dangerous man whose teachings and interpretations gave structure and justification to the group’s violent aspirations.
Arjan Babaj was arrested alongside Dake Haziraj and Fisnik Bekaj in March 2017, following an extended surveillance operation by Italian anti-terrorism units. Authorities recovered a large cache of digital jihadist materials from his residence, including propaganda, knife-attack tutorials, and ISIS lectures. Physical weapons were limited to knives, but the ideological material was abundant and damning.
He was charged under Italy’s anti-terrorism laws and convicted of:
• Membership in a terrorist organization
• Possession and dissemination of jihadist propaganda
• Incitement to commit terrorist acts
During the trial, prosecutors emphasized his role as the “ideological motor” of the cell. Unlike Haziraj, whose aggressive behavior and violent outbursts made him a clear operational threat, Babaj was subtler but equally dangerous.
His conviction resulted in a lengthy prison sentence, and he remains under constant surveillance. The Italian authorities identified him as a key case study in how religious authority figures can radicalize others in Western environments without needing formal mosques or networks.
The Court of Venice sentenced Babaj to five years’ imprisonment with deportation to be applied at the end of his sentence. The Venice Court of Appeals first and the Supreme Court later upheld the first instance sentence.