Tunisian IS suspect deported from Italy

Roma Sep 8 (IANS/AKI) Italian authorities expelled a 44-year-old Tunisian accused of proselytising for the Islamic State jihadist group - the 73rd Islamist extremist to be deported this year the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

The suspect an illegal immigrant who was living in the northern city of Milan was radicalising young people including Italians and promising them they would enter paradise if they martyred themselves to the jihadist cause the ministry said.

The Tunisian was served with a deportation order on August 29 after Italy s intelligence services began probing him in July for his alleged support for IS and Jihad according to to the ministry.

Police previously arrested the Tunisian for petty criminal offences and drug pushing and he was noted by Italy s prison authorities as an imam who followed a strict interpretation of the Koran said the ministry.

A total 205 suspected religious extremists have been deported from Italy since 2015 the ministry said.

--IANS/AKI
vd