COPASIR Annual Report Identifies Chinese Strategic Influence and Hybrid Threats as Top Italian Intelligence Priorities

COPASIR's annual report on 2025 activity, transmitted to Parliament this week, dedicates a standalone section to Chinese strategic influence for the first time, describing Beijing's efforts to promote a positive image and credibility as an international partner through social media and AI-driven algorithms 12. The report also flags Russian and Iranian disinformation campaigns using "cognitive warfare" techniques aimed at Italian public opinion, with AISI director Bruno Valensise and Deputy Alfredo Mantovano citing networks of Russian-linked websites and social accounts spreading anti-EU and anti-NATO content, alongside Russian recruitment of foreign fighters, particularly from Africa, for the Ukraine war 13. Separately, the committee reported a rise in jihadist activism across Europe since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, tied largely to Gen Z, web-active "islamonauti" who are often foreign-born but raised in Italy and have since relocated to other European countries, alongside continued sabotage attacks against Leonardo's defense facilities in northern Italy and Rome linked to antimilitarist and antisemitic-adjacent activist networks 3. The report further formalizes AI, cybersecurity of strategic databases, energy infrastructure, and the defense industrial base as standing committee oversight areas, with new 2025 hearings covering Snam, Eni, Leonardo, Fincantieri, and Rheinmetall Italia executives 24.