Rome man who beheaded maid wanted to fight Hamas

A man accused of beheading a maid in Rome before being killed by police earlier this week had wanted to come to Israel to fight Hamas, the Italian press reports.

Federico Leonelli, 35, was staying at a friend’s home when he killed Oksana Martseniuk on Sunday.

His host, Giovanni Ciallella, said Leonelli had recently discovered his Jewish heritage and became obsessed with learning Torah and Talmud, according to Italian media reports cited by Thelocal.it.

Ciallella says Leonelli twice attempted to obtain a visa to Israel but had been denied, and had come to Rome to speak with the consulate and “sign up at any cost.”

“He told me that he had met a rabbi in Rome and was ready to join the Israeli army against Hamas and terrorists armed with missiles,” Ciallella told La Repubblica, according to TheLocal.

“At night he watched films by rabbis at full volume which informed him of what was happening in the Gaza Strip,” Ciallella said.