Italy kicks out Tunisian accused of religious extremism

ROME – Italy has expelled a Tunisian man accused of religious extremism and befriending a jailed would-be foreign fighter.

The Interior Ministry said the 26-year old, identified by Italian newspapers as Marouan Mathlouthi, was sent back to Tunisia on Thursday. The ministry said he had befriended another Tunisian from the same city, Ravenna, who was arrested in 2015 on terrorism-related charges because of alleged plans to join the jihad in Iraq and Syria.

A ministry statement said Mathlouthi had jihadist propaganda on him and had written on his Facebook page: "I don't know if I should be good or stage a massacre, I have to think about it."

The expulsion, the second of the year, brings to 134 the number of suspected extremists expelled by Italy since January 2015.