ROME — A car-ramming and stabbing attack in Italy’s northern city of Modena by a citizen of Moroccan descent highlights the challenges around integration even for those in the second generation, the interior minister said Monday.
Eight people were wounded, four critically, when the 31-year-old man drove into pedestrians Saturday before crashing into a shop window.
Despite ruling out terrorism, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said it cannot be dismissed as an isolated incident. He said investigators must fully examine the factors behind the attack, suggesting social marginalization and perceived discrimination might have played a role.
Some Italian politicians seized on the attack to voice xenophobic rhetoric, and renewed focus on so-called second-generation Italians – people born or raised in Italy to foreign parents – who are often at the center of debates over identity, citizenship and integration.
“At this stage, there are no elements that correspond to the classic profile of a terrorist who plans violent actions,” Piantedosi told the daily Il Giornale, noting the man’s mental health concerns and social distress. “But all this cannot lead us to dismiss the attack as the act of an isolated madman.”
Italian authorities said the suspect, identified as Salim El Koudri, attempted to flee and slightly wounded a bystander with a knife before being overpowered by passersby and detained by police. Prosecutors arrested him on charges including massacre and aggravated injury. A court hearing on whether to validate his detention was postponed to Tuesday.
El Koudri’s lawyer said he will request a psychiatric evaluation, describing his client as “not lucid” and unable to explain what happened.
Fausto Gianelli, who met El Koudri in the Modena jail, said the man appears to be in a state of “absolute confusion” and lacks awareness of the events, which he seems to relive “as if for the first time” when they are described to him, the lawyer told Italian TV.
A woman remains in life-threatening condition while other victims also sustained severe injuries, officials said.
Politicians clash on migration
The suspect, born in Italy and university-educated, had been diagnosed with a personality disorder and had shown frustration over his work and social condition, local authorities said. They said he underwent treatment in 2022 for what officials described as a schizoid disorder before dropping out of care.
Still, the case has fueled political debate in Italy, where controlling and limiting migration is a key priority in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s agenda.
Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant League, referred to the suspect as a “second-generation criminal” in a social post, renewing calls for stricter migration measures.
Salvini said he has instructed a group of jurists to refine security proposals recently presented by his League party, including the revocation of residence permits for foreigners who commit crimes, with immediate expulsion. He didn’t provide data backing his proposal.
Opposition politicians criticized the government for seeking to use this case to toughen immigration rules.
“Even before the responsibilities and circumstances surrounding the incident had emerged, the deputy premier (Salvini) transformed a dramatic episode into an anti-immigrant rally,” said Carlo Calenda, leader of opposition party Azione.
Piantedosi sought to draw a distinction between the Modena attack and the government’s migration policies, stressing the suspect’s Italian citizenship while noting that doesn’t guarantee successful integration.
He highlighted an email El Koudri sent to his university containing insulting language against Christians before later apologizing, suggesting possible resentment linked to perceived discrimination.
Piantedosi said investigators are still working to establish the full motive for the attack. He said the incident raises “profound questions” about integration, identity and marginalization, particularly among some second-generation immigrants.
Modena’s mayor dismisses generalizations about foreigners
Under Italy’s citizenship system, many are not automatically recognized as Italian at birth and may have to apply later in life. They may also face pressures linked to integration, including challenges in education, employment and social inclusion.
Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti called generalizations about foreigners “nonsense,” noting that two Egyptian migrants were among those who helped stop the attacker.
Thousands of residents gathered in Modena’s central Piazza Grande over the weekend in a show of solidarity with the victims.
