Yacine Gasry
Yacine Gasry was born on September 19, 1971, in Algeria. He was implicated in organizing and leading a logistical support network for the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in Italy, which is connected to the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, but he managed to escape. Under Article 270 bis of the Italian Penal Code, Yacine was charged with forming an association aimed at committing acts of violence against the Algerian state and carrying out international terrorist activities. He was accused of indoctrinating associates ideologically and providing them with directives to achieve their objectives. His organization’s activities included procuring false documents, recruiting new members, fundraising for their cause, and providing legal assistance to immigrants, as well as acquiring weapons through transnational criminal networks.
Yacine has been under investigation since the mid-1990s for his involvement in a logistics network supporting fundamentalist activities in Algeria, specifically related to an international arms trafficking investigation conducted in Italy during 1994 and 1995. At that time, Yacine was involved in various business projects, including running a jewelry store where he also procured false documents. He reportedly engaged in religious proselytization within this store, creating and distributing recordings of religious content and serving as an imam at mosques in Aversa and later in Mercato, Italy. Ideologically aligned with Mourad Benaissa, a prominent Salafist leader in Annaba, Algeria, Yacine was known to distribute propaganda tapes intended for Algerian audiences. Intercepted communications revealed that he expressed aspirations for his second son to become a fighter in the future.
From October 2001 to June 2005, Yacine’s organization operated primarily in Naples, Aversa, Milan, and Vicenza, establishing a cell focused on international terrorism rooted in the disintegration of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). Investigations revealed that the cell was actively involved in recruiting members, securing funding, and procuring false documents for jihadist purposes. This network, with extensive ties in Algeria, was engaged in a violent campaign against the Algerian government, employing terrorist actions designed to instill fear among the populace. The organization was noted for its complex structure, which included various factions and branches operating not only in Italy but also in countries such as Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These cells served to consolidate support among Algerians abroad for the group’s objectives, recruit personnel for operations in Algeria, and establish safe havens for fighters.
The cell, linked to the GIA-GSPC, likely originated in Naples, where it maintained its operational hub. From this center, funds raised across different Italian cities were funneled to Algeria to support jihadist activities. Additionally, Yacine’s group facilitated the production of forged identity documents, including passports and residence permits, utilizing a network of criminals. Their activities involved obtaining genuine documents through illegal means for the purpose of counterfeiting.
In 2011, the Public Prosecutor sought an eight-year prison sentence for Yacine, emphasizing the serious nature of the charges, particularly those related to his role as a leader of the association. However, the Court of Assizes in Naples ultimately sentenced him to five years in prison and ordered his expulsion from Italy. He was acquitted of one charge concerning the counterfeiting of documents, as the evidence was deemed insufficient.
