Italy arrests Egyptian accused of backing Islamic State

ROME – Italian authorities have arrested an Egyptian man accused of supporting the Islamic State and planning go to fight himself, saying he used social media chats to spread jihadist propaganda.

Police said Wednesday that another Egyptian was ordered expelled from Italy, the latest in the more than 300 suspected jihadist sympathizers kicked out as national security threats since 2015. A third Egyptian was being sought.

Police said the suspect arrested Wednesday was 22-year-old Issam Elsayed Elsayed Abouelayem Shalabi, identified as the group’s leader. He was accused of association with the aim of international terrorism and instigation of terrorist acts. Police said Shalabi, a onetime McDonald’s cleaner, used the Telegram app to share IS videos and a claim of responsibility for a July IS attack in Tajikistan that killed four western cyclists.