Abdelmajid Zergout

Abdelmajid Zergout, also known as Abou El Bara, was born on September 4, 1965, in Safi, Morocco. After moving to Italy, he settled with his wife and children and became a key figure in the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (Jama’a Islamia Moukatila Maghrebia or MICG) within the Italian cell. As the imam of the Varese mosque, he was seen as a religious authority and played a significant role in indoctrination and proselytism, particularly with the intent of steering individuals toward jihad. He provided also logistical support for the broader network.
Zergout’s history of involvement with jihadist activities dated back to the 1990s. On June 9, 1998, the Italian Prosecutor in Bologna issued an arrest warrant against Zergout, accusing him of participating in an Islamic terrorist organization between 1995 and 1997. However, he was later acquitted of these charges.
Despite maintaining a low profile in his daily life, he was deeply involved in activities related to the dissemination of jihadist propaganda and the promotion of military training for MICG members. Evidence from computer interconnections at the cultural association for young immigrants in Varese showed that Zergout frequently accessed and downloaded material promoting jihad, including instructional manuals on weapons manufacturing, military tactics, and fighter conduct. From his office in the Varese mosque, Zergout regularly viewed documents and videos glorifying jihad and offering guidance for preparing for violent actions.
Wiretaps further exposed his involvement in fundraising for jihadist activities and his careful approach to conversations, demonstrating his efforts to remain cautious. He also distributed propaganda materials, collaborating with fellow MICG member Abdelillah El Kaflaoui (alias Abou Muslim) to spread jihadist ideology within their network.
A key moment of involvement came in February 2002, when a wiretapped conversation revealed that Zergout, along with El Kaflaoui, was entrusted with receiving funds from another MICG member, Raouiane Mohamed (alias Anwar). Raouiane, who was coordinating the transfer of money to MICG operatives, relied on Zergout and El Kaflaoui to collect the funds in Varese. In June 2002, the two met with Ben Said Faycal, a convicted terrorist in Tunisia, and received a bag of money.
Zergout continued to support the MICG even after Raouiane’s arrest in October 2003. He reassured Raouiane’s wife, offering his help and saying she should not hesitate to ask him for anything. This demonstrates the strong bonds and mutual support within the MICG network.
In addition to his activities in Italy, Zergout had international connections. In October 2003, he was contacted by a man named Zaccaria from Pakistan, who asked him to raise funds for “brothers” in Pakistan. Zergout also maintained communication with Abu Issa (Mohamed Karbouzi), a key MICG leader residing in the UK. Abu Issa had personally recruited Zergout into the MICG, as confirmed by another MICG member, Nafia Nourredine. Through these contacts, Zergout participated in both fundraising efforts and organizing the provision of communication tools for jihadist operatives in Pakistan.
In 2005, Zergout was charged under Article 270bis of the Italian Penal Code for involvement in a terrorist network, though he was not directly connected to any attacks. His role involved maintaining contacts, raising funds in Morocco, and supporting fighters and their families. Due to his international ties and logistical role within the MICG, he was placed in pretrial detention by the Turin Court but was later acquitted and released.
In August 2008, Zergout was arrested by Digos for extradition to Morocco, where he faced charges of participating in terrorist activities. An arrest warrant had been issued by Rabat on July 31, 2008. Following his arrest, Zergout maintained his innocence in a video interview, calling the extradition unjust.