Italy to deport Egyptian imam over comments at pro-Palestine rally

An Egyptian imam is facing deportation from Italy for comments he made at a pro-Palestine rally in Turin on 9 October.

Mohamed Shahin, formerly an imam at Turin's San Salvario mosque, allegedly described the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October - which caused the deaths of 1,200 people - as an act of “resistance after years of occupation”. 

The 46-year-old, who has been resident in Italy for 21 years, was arrested in a dawn raid by counter-terrorism police on 24 November after the Ministry of Interior issued an expulsion order and revoked his residence permit.

Read more: Italy to deport Egyptian imam over comments at pro-Palestine rally