A man arrested when police raided his Ħamrun residence over suspicions that he was linked to spreading extremist material, appears to have instigated suicide bombings in France. 

Ivorian national Mouhamadou Dosso, 32, who holds an Italian identity card, was escorted to court on Friday to face multiple terrorism-related charges.

The man was arrested in the very early hours of Thursday morning following weeks of surveillance and analysis of intelligence surrounding the property on Triq Giovanni Barbara.

The raid stemmed from information received by the police anti-terrorism unit. 

Officers surrounded two adjacent properties where in the subsequent search they seized electronic devices. 

Examination of those devices allegedly yielded data linked to the dissemination of extremist material. 

Facebook Messenger chats involving the suspect appeared to indicate that Dosso was encouraging third parties to travel to France to carry out suicide bomb attacks. 

Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to various terrorist offences, including knowingly instigating terrorist acts and participating in an organisation to promote some political object by the use or display of physical force. 

His legal aid lawyer, Victor Bugeja, did not request bail at the arraignment stage and the court, presided over by Magistrate Noel Bartolo, remanded the defendant in custody.

AG lawyers Dejan Darmanin and Mauro Abela prosecuted together with Inspectors Zachary Zammit and Mohammed Shurrab.