Minister says Modena attack raises integration concerns amid migration debate

Blood is seen next to a destroyed car on a street of Modena [AP Photo]

Italy’s interior minister said yesterday that a car-ramming and stabbing attack in the northern city of Modena cannot be dismissed as an isolated act, warning it highlights deeper challenges around integration and social distress.

Despite ruling out terrorism, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said investigators must still fully examine the factors behind the attack.

Eight people were wounded, four critically, when a 31-year-old man — an Italian citizen of Moroccan descent — drove into pedestrians Saturday before crashing into a shop window.

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 ruling on whether to validate his detention was expected later Monday.

In an interview with daily Il Giornale, Piantedosi said the man is not suspected of a terrorist act, pointing instead to what he described as “a real and serious issue of social distress” and mental health concerns.

“At this stage, there are no elements that correspond to the classic profile of a terrorist who plans violent actions,” Piantedosi said. “But all this cannot lead us to dismiss the attack as the act of an isolated madman.”

The minister described the assault on civilians as “of absolute gravity,” saying it raises “profound questions” about integration, identity and marginalization, particularly among some second-generation immigrants.

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.

Piantedosi also highlighted an email El Koudri sent to his university containing insulting language against Christians before later apologizing, suggesting possible resentment linked to perceived discrimination.

“He may have been driven by resentment linked to a sense of having suffered discrimination,” Piantedosi said, cautioning that investigators are still working to establish the full motive of the attack.

Migration debate heats up

The case has fueled political debate in Italy, where controlling and limiting migration is a key priority in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing agenda.

Piantedosi, however, sought to draw a distinction between the Modena attack and the government’s migration policies, stressing the suspect’s legal status.

“We are working on repatriations of foreign nationals who commit crimes, but here we are talking about an Italian citizen,” he said in the interview. “This is something different.”

Still, the minister linked the episode to broader integration challenges, arguing that legal status, citizenship or education alone do not guarantee successful integration.

Piantedosi also warned against simplifying the case by attributing it solely to psychiatric factors. Authorities said the man underwent treatment in 2022 for what officials described as a schizoid disorder before dropping out of care.

“It would be superficial to deny psychiatric discomfort, just as it would be to use it to avoid a broader reflection on social and cultural fragilities,” the minister said.

The attack triggered sharp political reactions in Italy. 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.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani rejected that characterization, noting that the man is an Italian citizen, not a migrant. Tajani was expected to travel to Modena later Monday to visit the wounded.

Opposition figures also criticized attempts to exploit the attack politically, while local officials pushed back against linking the violence to immigration.

The attack has also 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.

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, despite growing up in Italy.

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.

A woman remains in life-threatening condition after the crash, while other victims also sustained severe injuries, officials said. GIADA ZAMPANO, ROME, MDT/AP