14-year-old reported for making references on social media to school massacres and acts of violence
Handwritten notes and a rudimentary bulletproof vest were seized
In his posts, written using the Cyrillic alphabet, he alluded to the commission of massacres and acts of terrorism, whilst showing himself wearing a military helmet and carrying a body-worn camera. This is the charge brought by the police against a 14-year-old who has been reported to the Catania Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office for disseminating news and information of a violent and glorifying nature, in particular alluding to the commission of violent acts at school. Clothing bearing discriminatory slogans and swastikas, a military helmet, handwritten notes and a rudimentary bulletproof vest were seized.
The investigation stemmed from a report by the Postal and Cyber Security Police Service in Rome, and further investigations carried out by the DIGOS unit of the Catania Police Headquarters and the Cyber Security Operations Centre led to the identification of the minor as the account holder.
During a search of the home and computer, carried out in the province of Catania, officers from the DIGOS and the Postal Police in Catania found, in the 14-year-old’s room, clothing bearing discriminatory slogans and swastikas, a military helmet, handwritten notes and a rudimentary bulletproof vest. The account at the centre of the investigation was found on the minor’s smartphone, along with internet searches relating to weapons and how pistols work. All the material found was seized.
