Police arrest young Romanian jihadist who was training for terrorist act

Luigi Constantin Boicea, a teenager who was detained and then placed under judicial control in December 2015 for jihadist propaganda, was held once again for 24 hours for breaking the measures imposed by the judicial control. He has continued to visit jihadist websites and has been looking for information on how to make bombs and financing for preparing terrorist attacks, according to the investigators. The young Romanian could spend the next 30 days in jail if the court approves the Directorate for Organized Crime and Terrorism – DIICOT’s request in this sense. During the judicial control, Boicea was not allowed to access the Internet anymore. The measure was imposed because, back in December 2015, he was accused of making jihadist propaganda online. He allegedly promoted the actions of ISIS by posting opinions, texts, pictures, and audio-video recordings on social networks. Through these posts, the young Romanian was aiming to make the group’s activities known and thus attract new followers. “During the judicial control, he systematically broke the obligation he had, including after September 24, 2016, when he turned 18, by continuing to access sites used for propaganda and training of future combatants belonging to the terrorist organization Daesh/Islamic State, and by trying to make contact with the leaders or representatives of that terrorist organization to obtain financial and logistical support for committing an act of terrorism,” reads the DIICOT statement. The prosecutors also say that, starting 2015, Luigi Constantin Boice participated in the training organized online by Daesh, training which included information on how “to assemble and use, and what are effects and safety measures needed to be taken into account during handling and using different types of destructive means, firearms, and explosive materials and devices.” The training also included psychological preparation of future combatants for acts of terrorism. Thus, DIICOT decided to continue the investigation of Boicea, and initiate and continue the criminal prosecution against him, on charges of participating in education or training in the use of destructive means, firearms, explosive devices of any kind, ammunition, to commit an act of terrorism. Prosecutors: Romanian detained for jihadist propaganda, willing to sacrifice his life for ISIS Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com