The dangerous statement by the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor suggests that 500 young prisoners in Italy are about to become terrorists.

Italy's National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor, Franco Roberti, recently gave an interview to major newspaper La Repubblica. The article was entitled “Recruitment in prisons, over 500 minors at Jihad risk” — an argument that could have had serious consequences had Antigone’s coordinator, Susanna Marietti, not quickly refuted it.

Misrepresentation of data

In fact, figures and words have their importance — especially when talking about such a very sensitive topic. According to the last data produced by the Italian Ministry of Justice, only 449 young persons are jailed in Italian juvenile prisons. Among them, only 174 are really minors (that is to say under eighteen years-old). It is only knowing this that it is possible to properly study the issue in detail.

The alarmist statement of Roberti can only create unfounded fears. Currently, among the 449 juvenile prisons inmates, 244 are Italians and 54 are citizens of other countries (12 others are Serbs, 10 come from the Americas, and 4 from Moldova). Only 117 are Muslims.

In other words, there are 117 young Muslim men and women, and there is no reason to believe they have a "very high risk of radicalization" beyond what any other inmate would have. Contrary to what the prosecutor said, the Internet is not available in juvenile prisons (except for some very few particular cases and under very close surveillance), and thus the most powerful channel for radicalization is not effective there.

Alarmism is the true way to terror

This kind of alarmist statements are the real danger: once again, it seems unfortunately necessary to remind that defining causes of terrorism is far more complex than counting the number of generation of immigrants in a country.

We are not saying that there is no risk of radicalization in prison — but labeling young prisoners as potential terrorists for no reason whatsoever is of no help at all.

In order to prevent the radicalization of prisoners, we need to facilitate their reintegration and protect their human rights, and calling out on them as a bunch of potential terrorists is obviously not useful.