Ahmed Taskour

Ahmed Taskour, born in Casablanca on September 28, 1969, was investigated by the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office for offenses under Article 270 bis of the Italian Penal Code. He was accused of participating in the transnational terrorist organization known as the Islamic State (IS) with terrorist purposes and with the objective of carrying out violent acts both in Syrian territories under ISIS control and abroad, particularly in several European countries, including Italy.
His involvement included organizing his own travel together with his wife, Sbai El Hamel Nadia, and their children, to territories occupied by ISIS in Iraq. Ahmed became a fighter in IS, played a role in the radicalization and training of his son Abderrahmane, and disseminated propaganda messages via YouTube and the web inciting attacks against the enemies of the Caliphate. The first indications of Taskour’s involvement surfaced during the expulsion and repatriation of Moroccan citizen Bouiri Mohamed, whose mobile phone contained emails addressed to Taskour at multiple accounts and a Facebook profile linked to his daughter. Investigations by DIGOS confirmed that these profiles were attributable to him, making him the focus of authorities. Investigators began focusing on him because of his connections to a network of individuals linked to IS, which included another Moroccan and an Arab-Israeli, both expelled from Italy in 2013.
A long-term resident of Italy, Taskour lived in Bresso, in a public housing apartment formally assigned to him by ALER (Azienda lombarda di edilizia residenziale). He had been employed since 2007 with a regular contract at a small cleaning company, earning a monthly wage of €1,200. Prior to his departure, he requested leave until January 5, 2015, claiming he needed to travel to Morocco to assist his seriously ill mother, and he also requested an advance payment of his severance package (TFR). In reality, he used this period to leave Italy with his family, boarding to Istanbul on December 22, 2014. Despite purchasing return tickets, neither he nor his family ever returned. Telephone records confirmed their presence in Turkey on December 22, 2014, and in Iraq on January 3, 2015. Taskour had not shown visible signs of radicalization before leaving. Financial investigations revealed that shortly before leaving, he had obtained a loan of €8,000 from a bank, cashed via two checks. Other reports indicate that he may have collected up to €30,000 prior to leaving, using financial instruments and his employment package. A search of his apartment in May 2016 showed it had been abandoned for some time. Investigators emphasized that he carefully followed IS guidance to avoid raising suspicion, leaving his home “in perfect order” upon departure.
A decisive piece of evidence emerged in the form of a YouTube video recorded in Iraq between November and December 2015, after the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015. The video showed Ahmed and his then 10- to 11-year-old son, Abderrahmane, issuing threats against the West and praising jihad, with IS logos and flags clearly visible. Ahmed, speaking in Arabic, glorified IS fighters, hailed the Paris attacks, and threatened Western countries with statements such as: “We are coming, with the will of Allah, we will enter your homes.” His son, born in Italy in 2005, also appeared, praising the mujahedeen and warning the “crusaders” that their defeat had begun. Identification of both father and son was confirmed through official document comparisons. The audiovisual material, combined with the family’s relocation to Iraq – a territory unrelated to their origins but under IS control – provided concrete evidence of Taskour’s sustained commitment to the terrorist organization. His participation extended beyond ideological support to include propaganda activity, operational support, and the radicalization and involvement of his underage son.
Following his identification in Iraq by regional authorities, the Italian judiciary has issued an extradition request. Taskour remains a fugitive from Italian justice since December 2014, when he left as a foreign fighter with his wife and children. While Ahmed has been located in Iraq, the whereabouts of his wife and daughter, then 15, remain unknown.