Fisnik Bekaj

Fisnik Bekaj was born in Kosovo on 7 August 1992. Little is publicly documented about his early years in Kosovo, but he spent his formative years there before relocating to Italy. Like many young Kosovars, Bekaj moved abroad in search of opportunity, eventually settling in Italy where he obtained a valid residency permit. In Italy he lived in the Veneto region – specifically in the historic center of Venice – as part of a small Kosovar immigrant community. He had family ties to others in that community; notably, he is a cousin of Dake Haziraj, another Kosovar with whom he would later form a close-knit group. Bekaj also had at least one close relative in Italy named Arxhend Bekaj, likely a younger brother or cousin, indicating that the Bekaj family migrated as a unit or maintained strong connections abroad. In Venice, Fisnik found employment in the service industry. By his early twenties he was working as a waiter in a restaurant near Piazza San Marco, the heart of Venice. This job placed him alongside several of his compatriots – in fact, all three of the main members of his circle (Bekaj, Haziraj, and their friend Arjan Babaj) were employed as waiters in Venice’s San Marco district. This common workplace and background helped forge strong bonds among them. Bekaj’s early life in Italy appeared outwardly ordinary: he had steady work and lived in an apartment near Venice’s famed Piazza San Marco, sharing accommodations with his cousin Dake Haziraj. However, beneath the surface of daily life, Fisnik Bekaj was on a path toward extremism, influenced both by family connections and the wider currents of jihadist ideology circulating in Europe at the time.
Bekaj’s radicalization was a gradual process that intensified through familial influence and travel back to Kosovo. In Italy, he became closely involved with a small circle of countrymen who espoused extremist Islamist views. His cousin, Dake Haziraj, played a pivotal role in this transformation. Haziraj was a few years older and had begun embracing militant jihadist ideology by the mid-2010s. Through Haziraj’s influence, Bekaj was introduced to a salafist and violent interpretation of Islam aligned with the propaganda of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS).
Together with Haziraj, Fisnik started consuming ISIS propaganda online, including videos praising terrorist attacks and instructional materials on conducting violence. A turning point in Bekaj’s radicalization came when he and Haziraj traveled back to their homeland of Kosovo for an extended visit. During this trip – described by Italian investigators as a “long stay in their homeland” – the two young men were exposed to intensive indoctrination by local extremist preachers. Kosovo in the mid-2010s was a hub for jihadist recruitment, with hundreds of Kosovars joining Islamist militant groups in the Middle East. Bekaj and his cousin fell under the sway of radical imams or ideologues there, which solidified their extremist convictions. According to the anti-terror investigators in Venice, this Kosovo trip was “the decisive element to the violent radicalisation” of Haziraj, and by extension deeply affected Bekaj as well.
Upon returning to Italy, Bekaj was fully committed to jihadist ideology. He and his small circle in Venice – which now included Haziraj, Arjan Babaj (who acted as the group’s spiritual guide), and a teenager named Arjan Morina – began meeting regularly for prayer meetings and study sessions devoted to extremist teachings. Babaj, the eldest of the group, would interpret and expound upon radical Islamist teachings (including anti-Shia rhetoric and calls for violent jihad) for the others. Bekaj eagerly absorbed these lessons. He also participated in discussions praising real-world terror attacks; for example, the group celebrated the March 2017 ISIS-inspired attack in London (Westminster Bridge), expressing admiration for the attacker and willingness to die for the jihadist cause. By early 2017, investigators noted that all members of the group, including Fisnik Bekaj, were “attached to the ideology of ISIS” and openly inspired by recent attacks.
In sum, Bekaj’s radicalization was driven by a combination of family influence, exposure to extremist mentors during travels, and reinforcement through a peer group in Venice. He went from an immigrant young worker to a committed believer in violent jihad within a span of just a couple of years. By the time Italian authorities took notice, Bekaj had adopted a jihadist worldview and was prepared to act on it.
In Venice, Fisnik Bekaj’s outward life revolved around his work as a waiter, but behind closed doors he was heavily engaged in extremist activities with his small cell. The group’s base of operations was an apartment on San Marco 176, just steps from Piazza San Marco. This was the residence of Arjan Babaj, and it doubled as a meeting place for the budding jihadist cell. Bekaj and his fellow members gathered there frequently for prayer, ideological lectures, and to watch propaganda videos. These videos included ISIS training films demonstrating techniques for knife attacks and bomb-making. Such content fueled the group’s violent ambitions and provided practical know-how for potential attacks.
Bekaj took an active part in self-training and militant preparations. Investigators later discovered photographic evidence of his activities: one photo showed Fisnik Bekaj firing a handgun at a shooting range. This suggests he sought out weapons practice, possibly to gain skills for an attack. He also helped gather or share weapons within the group. In fact, Haziraj’s former employer told police that Haziraj owned a handgun and claimed that his roommate – later identified as his cousin Fisnik Bekaj – even had a hand grenade. While it’s unclear if Bekaj truly possessed a grenade, this testimony indicated the group’s interest in arming themselves and Bekaj’s reputation for access to weaponry. Police searches during the eventual crackdown did not find firearms or explosives, only knives. Nonetheless, Bekaj and company had clearly discussed and attempted to acquire such weapons.
Online, Fisnik Bekaj was equally active. Using social media, he and the others spread ISIS propaganda and sought to recruit or indoctrinate others. Hundreds of extremist posts were later documented by authorities from the group’s private Facebook communications. One Facebook account named “Abdu Rahman” – traced to the cell – shared video, photos and material that, according to the Prosecutor, praised jihad and the Islamic State, with the goal of making proselytes and instigating holy war. Bekaj was one of the key contributors to these online efforts, helping to disseminate ISIS’s messages in Italy. He also maintained direct connections with known radical profiles; for instance, investigators found that Fisnik Bekaj was friends on Facebook with Dake Haziraj’s account, which itself had drawn the attention of counter-terrorism units. Through these networks, Bekaj stayed informed about global jihadist news and kept contact with like-minded extremists.
Perhaps the most dangerous activity Bekaj engaged in was plotting actual acts of terror on Italian soil. Throughout late 2016 and early 2017, he participated in discussions within the group about mounting an attack in Venice. They focused on iconic targets that would cause mass casualties. According to intercepted conversations, the cell initially set its sights on the Rialto Bridge, one of Venice’s most crowded tourist spots. The idea was that bombing Rialto during a peak time would maximize casualties and, in their eyes, guarantee them a place in Paradise. In one chilling discussion recorded by police, the group’s youngest member boasted: “With Venice you earn Paradise immediately, given all the unbelievers there. If we had a bomb… at Rialto.” These kinds of statements were met with enthusiasm. Notably, an expelled associate, Mergim Gecaj, responded by suggesting they steal a large helicopter and go “bum bum” (open fire or drop bombs). This shows that Bekaj’s circle was actively brainstorming terrorist methods. Investigators believe they also considered striking during Venice’s famous Carnival. The group talked about attacking amidst Carnival crowds, even wearing masks and costumes to blend in. One plot involved doing something at the San Marco bell tower (“anche il Campanile”) in addition to Rialto.
As plans progressed, Bekaj was preparing for the possibility of going abroad to fight as well. Prosecutors found indications that the three core members (Babaj, Haziraj, Bekaj) were also preparing to go fight in Syria, potentially linking up with ISIS forces there. Haziraj in particular was organizing trips for would-be fighters, and Bekaj, as a devout follower, was a likely candidate to be sent or to accompany others. In the meantime, their activities in Italy remained under the radar until early 2017. Bekaj’s day-to-day routine – working at the restaurant by day and convening with his cell by night – continued without interference. However, mounting evidence of their extremism (including Haziraj’s earlier violent outbursts) eventually drew the attention of Italian authorities, setting the stage for their arrest. Finally, he was convicted of terrorism by the Venice Court.