A detained suspected member of
Ansar al-Sharia, a Libyan group considered to be linked to
al-Qaeda, was served an arrest warrant in a counter-terrorism
operation Tuesday in Lazio, the region Rome belongs to, sources
said.
The suspect, Saber Hmidi, a 34-year-old Tunisian, recruited
other followers while in prison, sources said.
The suspect had a "special capacity to indoctrinate prison
mates" according to the probe.
The man was already in Rome's Rebibbia prison in relation
to other cases.
Searches were conducted in dawn raids targeting suspected
members of terrorist organizations in Lazio as part of the
operation, called "Black Flag".
A flag of Ansar al-Sharia was found in Hmidi's home, sources
said.
Police said they had intercepted a phonecall in which he said
"I am going to go to Syria to fight.
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