Arta Kacabuni

Arta Kacabuni, also known as Anila, was born in Albania on March 28, 1974, but at the time of the investigations she was living in Scansano (GR) alongside her brother Baki Coku and her sister Donika Coku. Kacabuni was married to Dritan Gjecaj, involved in this case as well, and sometimes used to visit him and his first wife Lubjana Gjecaj in Treviglio. Kacabuni was accused of contributing to the wedding of her nephew Aldo Kobuzi and his wife Maria Giulia Sergio, their trip to Syria and consequently their enlistment within ISIS during September 2014. Moreover, the defendant clearly demonstrated full adhesion to the principles of the Islamic State, often reiterating the legitimacy and necessity of their actions. Therefore, she was charged with art. 270 bis of the Italian Criminal Code.
Kacabuni’s radicalisation probably occurred in Albania, as court documents reveal she knew Abdurrahim Balla, an Imam of Tirana arrested in 2014 for terrorist related activities. The defendant donated €50 to the Imam when he was economically struggling and was a friend of the Imam’s wife, supporting her when her husband had been arrested.
Phone records also confirm Kacabuni’s radical beliefs and support for ISIS, especially after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015, where she celebrated the shooting during a phone call with Marianna Sergio, although she clearly stated that her husband Dritan and Lubjana Gjecaj tried to oppose her radical ideas. Moreover, Kacabuni used to take part in Bushra Haik’s “Aqidah and Tafsir” Skype lessons alongside the Sergio sisters and these study groups likely reinforced her adhesion and support for the Islamic State.
When it comes to Kacabuni’s involvement in this case, phone records attest that Kacabuni and Maria Giulia Sergio had been friends since 2014, and when Maria Giulia left for Syria, the defendant maintained a friendly relationship with Marianna Sergio. Kacabuni’s role in Maria Giulia and Aldo’s wedding clearly emerges from the court documents. On September 16, 2014, Kacabuni traveled to Treviglio alongside Baki and Donika Coku and Aldo Kobuzi, who had arrived from Albania a few days prior, and they were hosted by Dritan and Lubjana Gjecaj. The young couple was wed on the 17th and the following day they all left for Scansano. Thereafter, on September 19, Kacabuni went to a travel agency in Grosseto: she bought three plane tickets that would take Maria Giulia, Aldo and Donika to Turkey.
According to court documents, Kacabuni was also involved in proselytism and propaganda towards other women. For example, in a wiretapped conversation with the defendant’s sister Zamira, Kacabuni was talking about the necessity to join Donika Coku in Syria while trying to convince her sister to leave with her. The same indoctrination tactic was used towards Lubjana Gjecaj as well, although the latter was starting to have doubts about the Caliphate’s actions after the Charlie Hebdo attack. During the police interrogation, Kacabuni unsuccessfully tried to defend herself by arguing that she was not trying to enlist her sisters and friends within ISIS but was only encouraging them to follow the Koranic precepts.
Once arrested, Arta Kacabuni was placed on house arrest and asked for a shortened proceeding. In February 2016, she was sentenced for participation to a terrorist organisation to three years and eight months. Mitigating circumstances led to leniency in her sentencing as she had no previous convictions and had been living in poverty and social marginalisation. Kacabuni was released on October 16, 2018, and was later deported “for reasons of public order or State security” by order of the Minister of the Interior.