"CasaPound" is an Italian fascist movement founded in 2003, when it was involved in the occupation of a state-owned building by squatters in Rome. In the two years that followed, CasaPound increased its illegal squatting activities in Rome before becoming a political party, and later reverting back to a movement.
The movement's founder and president, Gianluca Iannone, recently led a delegation of the group to Syria, where they reportedly met with the following Syrian regime officials: Speaker of the People's Assembly Hammouda Sabbagh; President Al-Assad's personal advisor Buthaina Shabaan; the governor "in exile" of Raqqah. The president of the Syrian Community in Italy, Jamal Abu Abbas, served as a mediator.
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CasaPound President Gianluca Iannone Expresses Solidarity And Support Of Al-Assad Regime
On May 23, 2023 the Damascus-based French-language outlet "La Syrie de l'Interieur" ("Syria From Inside") posted an image on its Facebook page, originally published by the Syrian State News Agency, showing members of the Italian fascist CasaPound movement sitting with Syrian officials in a room with a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The post read: "Damascus – Speaker of the People's Assembly Hammouda Sabbagh met with the delegation of the European Front for the Defense of Syria [Italian CasaPound party] at the Assembly building in Damascus. During the meeting, Sabbagh stressed the importance of the delegation's role in defending Syria. [...] For his part, the head of the Italian delegation, CasaPound president Gianluca Iannone [...] expressed the delegation's solidarity and support for the Syrian people and the Syrian leadership led by President Bashar Al-Assad, saying the delegation would spare no effort in exposing the truth of the flaws of the political, economic, and scientific blockade Syria suffers from."
On May 27, the official CasaPound Telegram channel published photos documenting its support of the Al-Assad regime. In the photos, members hold a banner reading: "Stop the embargo! No more sanctions on Syria!" in what appears to be Italy. The banner features the CasaPound emblem. Similar banners were shown in the photos posted on three public structures.
The channel wrote: "The European sanctions that Syria has been suffering from for twelve years are an enormous counter to humanitarian aid [...] The embargo causes a series of problems [...] Furthermore, there is clear foreign interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign and independent nation [Syria], in defiance of international law and human rights [...]."
"CasaPoud Delegation Confirms Friendship And Loyalty To The Assad Government... Syria Suffers From The Combined Occupation Of Terrorists, Turkey, And The U.S."
Two days later, on May 29, the CasaPound channel posted photos of its delegation in Syria, together with a message affirming "loyalty" to the Assad regime in Syria, describing meetings between the group and senior officials, as well as other activities in Damascus, which included participating in a state TV show and attending a Baath conference.
The post read: "The 'CasaPound' delegation was welcomed with honors in Syria, and confirms friendship and loyalty to the Assad government. Rome, May 29 – a delegation from 'CasaPound Italia' returned to Italy today, after traveling to Syria in the last week to discuss with the Syrian government institutions and local administrators. [...] The medical order donated a plaque to 'CasaPound Italia' to thank us for the work carried out in recent years in the health field. During the visit, a well-attended conference was also held at the National Library of Damascus with the [regime's] Baath Party. In addition, the delegation participated live in the TV talk show 'After the war' on the national TV channel."
The channel added: "Our representatives also talked with the political institutions of the Arab Republic of Syria, gathering words of appreciation and thanks for our activities. [...] Words of appreciation for the activities of our movement were also expressed by the president of the Syrian Parliament, and by the entire delegation of the National Progressive Front which supports him, at the seat of the assembly, as well as by the president's personal adviser, Buthaina Shabaan.
"In the final part of our visit we met with the governor 'in exile' of Raqqah, who gave us the testimony of a nation that still suffers from the combined occupation of terrorists, Turkey and the U.S., of the rich oil and agricultural regions beyond the Euphrates. We want to thank the Syrian community in Italy and its president Jamal Abu Abbas for the opportunity to resume cooperation with the Syrian Arab Republic and its proud people placed under the leadership of President Bashar Al-Assad. [...] We will continue to support Syria with renewed vigor until the Final Victory."
The photos show meetings with Syrian officials, as well as two men holding up a banner in the national colors of Syria and Italy reading "Welcome CasaPound" in Italian, and "Welcome" in Arabic, with a CasaPound emblem in its center.
CasaPound Previously Visited Syria And Proclaimed Support For Assad In 2019
This was not the first visit of "CasaPound" to Syria, or the first time the group expressed support for the Assad regime. In August 2019, a Twitter user posted a photo showing CasaPound members in Aleppo, unfurling their banner in front of the Aleppo citadel, adorned with a poster of Bashar Al-Assad and a Syrian flag. In his 2019 tweet, however, the user described the visit of "the first group from Italy" without mentioning CasaPound by name.
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