Mother reports her son of the police

An Islamist radicalized online and wanted to travel from Basel to Jihad. It stands as an example of a dangerous trend.

Alexander is perplexed. « I thought I would be kidnapped, » he says today. In the first question, he denies the allegations. But after months in custody, most of the time alone in a cell, he admits everything. The investigation proves that he wanted to join the terrorist organization IS. Thanks to his confession, he can leave prison after nine months. He stands in front of the Federal Criminal Court on Thursday.

Police warn of the radicalization of lonely wolves

His case exemplifies a dangerous trend. In its new annual report, the Federal Police Fedpol writes: « It is a scheme that the police observed in many cases: Young people are on the Internet in a radicalization spiral that feeds on social media content and strengthens their original beliefs. »

Alexander’s story begins inconspicuously. It was born in Basel in 2003. His mother is 22 years old at birth. His father, an artist, is nine years older. He once described in an interview how he himself grew up with an inner tornness because his father from Palestine and his mother came from Germany.

Alexander is also on a long search for meaning. He checks all religions and finds faith in Islam at the age of 17.

What he does not find are real friends. Today he says: «I have friends from all over the world and all faiths. But I’ve never met her personally. » They are virtual friendships that he maintains through communication platforms such as Discord. There they pass the time with the same online games.

He lacks the connection in real life. He is introverted and suffers from a social phobia. He feels uncomfortable among people. He is not even linked to relationships in the mosque. He scurries into the prayer room and then disappears without a word. In Basel he attended the mandatory schools and temporarily worked for a security company.

He was looking for death as a martyr – out of boredom?

Why did he want to join IS? « Out of boredom, » he says first. But then he corrects himself and thinks he doesn’t know exactly. He was probably just getting into the wrong circles.

The prosecutor’s indictment documents how quickly a would-be jihadist like Alexander finds supporters for his plan in online channels.

Alexander used the Session app. It enables encrypted communication and does not require a mail address or telephone number for registration. The chat service comes from Australia. But since the founder received a visit from the police there, a foundation from Switzerland has now been running him.

On May 30, 2024, Alexander chats with a session user named Omar. Alexander writes to him that he wants to live in a country where the teaching of Sharia rules, and that was only with « them ». He would like death as a martyr – as soon as possible.

On June 11, Alexander received the news that he should go to the mountains in Somalia and that the organization will organize the money for the visa and the trip for him. The area is controlled by the terrorist organization Al-Schabab, which is connected to Al Qaeda. Somalia is a failed state. The Swiss sending party advises against travel of all kinds.

Alexander wears an Islamist beard and a tattoo on his arm. His contact indicates him to have both removed so as not to attract attention when they leave. The departure is planned for August 7, 2024. For security reasons, he will only receive the last information shortly before.

The mother reports to the radicalization contact point

In June 2024, Alexander informed his mother that he would travel to Somalia in early August. He tells her that he wanted to learn Arabic in the mountains and that he will join the Al-Schabab organization. She advises him against it, but he doesn’t listen to her.

She is desperate and turned to the Cancell point of radicalization of the cantonal police. This is aimed at people who find worrying changes in their environment.

Then it works quickly. On July 4, the Federal Criminal Police will file a criminal complaint. The federal prosecutor immediately opens up criminal proceedings. It orders the arrest and the house search.

The investigators succeed in cracking Alexander’s devices. So they come across the chat messages and illegal IS propaganda and pornography. You can also use a DNA smear to demonstrate a break-in into a neighborhood shop, a youth sin.

Back in everyday life: the restart is difficult

Thanks to a deal in April 2025, Alexander comes out of custody prematurely. He accepts a conditional prison sentence of 18 months and a deradicalization therapy. The Federal Criminal Court will therefore only check the case in a abbreviated procedure.

At the same time, he recognizes police measures to combat terrorism, which Switzerland accepted in a referendum in 2021. He meets regularly with a police prevention specialist and has to hand in his Swiss passport for half a year.

He currently lives with his parents again. He apparently forgives his mother that she triggered the criminal proceedings against him.

Now he is looking for a job. He would be ready to work on a construction site or in cleaning: « But it will be very difficult to find a job with my criminal record excerpt. » Unfortunately, he would probably have to apply for social assistance. His new everyday life is still unusual for him: « It is a strange feeling to suddenly be back among so many people. »