Tarek Ben Brahim Hidri

Tarek Ben Brahim Hidri, was born on July 16, 1975, in Tunisia but residing in Naples. Hidri had probably been radicalised and indoctrinated according to al-Qaeda’s beliefs by the Andria Imam Hassen Hachemi Ben Hosni, a friend of his. Two episodes have characterised Hidri’s radicalisation which are worthy of attention. On October 29, 2001, Hidri was found naked and exposed to harsh weather conditions while bathing in the Agne di Montale river. When questioned by the rescuers, he explained that he was cleansing himself because he felt called by God, suggesting his religious delirium. On September 16, 2002, he assaulted a passerby and three policemen in a knife attack in Naples while shouting ‘Allah Akbar’. In 2003, the Tribunal of Naples sentenced him to five years in a psychiatric ward, but the sentence was soon transformed into parole, relocating in Rome.
In July 2008, Hidri’s friend Hosni contacted Hidri’s brother, Montassar, to inquire about his legal situation and discuss his ideological beliefs. Hosni also conversed with Hidri’s mother, Aisha, and directly with Hidri himself, discussing the listening of compromising files and a religious book about heaven. Subsequent to this exchange, Hidri’s parole was revoked, leading to his expulsion from Italy. A year later, in June 2009, Hosni and Aisha engaged in a phone conversation during which Aisha expressed concern about her son’s disappearance, while Hosni informed her that he had traveled to Iraq to join the fight.