Lahoucine Ali Wahmane

Lahoucine Ali Wahmane, born on January 1, 1965, in Aouluz, Morocco, was living in Olbia and was also known as Hussein-Abu Doaa. His arrest in 2018 can be considered as a continuation of the 2015 DIGOS operation that led to the arrest of Sultan Wali Khan, a Pakistani man allegedly in charge of an Islamist cell close to al-Qaeda. According to the prosecution, Lahoucine Ali Wahmane was part of a terrorist network directed and organised by Anwar Daadoue, operating in Italy and with branches in several European countries that was financially supporting Jabhat al-Nusra.
Wahmane was ordered by Italian authorities a pre-trial detention and, alongside Anwar Daadoue, Mustafa Chaddad, and Abdulkarim Haj Osman, he was accused of terrorism participation and terrorism financing. In particular, he was charged under articles 270 bis of the Italian Penal Code, and under Law 16 March 2006 no. 146 for having taken part in a transnational association under the directives of Daadoue based in Italy, Sweden, Germany, Syria and Turkey with the aim of committing terrorist acts towards Syrian people, as well as of doing proselytism through the internet and financing towards the Syrian jihadist association Jabhat al-Nusra since 2014. Wahmane was also accused of terrorism financing through hawaladars in Italy, Sweden, Syria and Turney since 2014 and charged under art. 131-ter of D.Lgs 1 September 1993, n. 385; art. 11 of the D.Lgs 27 January 2010, and Law 16 March 2006, no. 146.
According to the prosecution, Wahmane was involved in Daadoue’s haul network and was one of Haj Osman’s closest collaborators in Olbia, alongside Chaddad. In 2014, Wahmane assisted in transferring of €10.000 from Sardinia to Milan under the directives of Daadoue. Part of the money was intended to be transferred to Syria.
Wahmane’s role within the network reflected a strong ideological alignment with forces opposing the Assad regime, particularly through his connections and communications with individuals linked to Syrian militias. His ideological stance was attested by various phone conversations regarding the news of deaths of terrorist leaders or al-Nusra’s territorial gains, indicating his sympathy towards jihadist factions. In 2015, conversations among group members indicate that Wahmane was kept informed of ongoing military actions. Chaddad relayed updates to Wahmane about battles in Idlib and contacts within the front-line militias, showcasing their shared commitment to the Syrian opposition cause and al-Nusra’s goals. The group’s discussions were marked by extremist language, as they emphasised a need to target Shiite groups in the region and celebrated al-Nusra’s progress against these opponents. Court documents further indicate Wahmane’s links to extremists in other terrorist organisations in Morocco until these were shut down by the police in 2015.
In 2021, the Assize Court of Sassari acquitted Lahoucine Ait Wahmane of the crimes of terrorist association and terrorist financing.