The man accused of deliberately driving a car into pedestrians in central Modena, Italy, on May 16, injuring eight people, has been identified as a 31-year-old Italian citizen of Moroccan origin with a history of voicing anti-Christian hostility.

Salim El Koudri, who has held Italian citizenship since the age of 14, has been detained over the attack. He is accused of driving his car into pedestrians in Via Emilia Centro before attempting to flee the scene. Reports said he was carrying a knife and attempted to use it against a passer-by who intervened.

Information has surfaced showing that Mr El Koudri sent emails to the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in April 2021 in which he expressed resentment and hostility towards Christians. In those messages he demanded employment “consistent with his qualifications” and referred to Christians in abusive terms, threatening to burn “your Jesus Christ on the cross”.

His lawyer has requested a psychiatric evaluation, saying his client is confused. Italian reports have said that Mr El Koudri was previously treated for psychiatric difficulties between 2022 and 2024. It has also been reported that he stopped taking medication in 2024, saying that he felt well. Investigators are continuing to examine his mental state and possible motive.

The method of the attack – using a vehicle against pedestrians in a public street – follows a pattern seen in jihadist-inspired incidents across Europe in recent years. However, Italian authorities have not confirmed any formal link to terrorism or to an extremist network.

The Modena incident has also prompted renewed debate in Italy over integration. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said the case raised questions about failed integration, while Modena’s mayor, Massimo Mezzetti, noted that some of those who helped stop the suspect were themselves foreign-born residents. The case has therefore become part of a wider political argument over citizenship, public safety and social cohesion.

In a notable 2000 document, Cardinal Giacomo Biffi warned that large-scale immigration from Islamic countries posed particular challenges for peaceful coexistence because of profound cultural and religious differences. Catholic social teaching has long insisted that immigration policy must respect both the dignity of migrants and the common good of the receiving society. Successive popes, including Benedict XVI and Francis, have stressed that true integration requires more than legal status.

Investigators are continuing to examine Mr El Koudri’s digital devices and background. A judge has validated his arrest, citing the risk of flight and the possibility of further offences.