(ANSA) - Palermo, October 20 - Italian police on Tuesday arrested a Pakistani man in Mantua who is accused of links to terrorism and encouraging acts of violence and martyrdom through his use of Facebook.

Muhammad Bilal, 25, was held by anti-terrorism police in the northern Italian city following a request by investigators in Caltanissetta, Sicily. Police also searched properties in Mantua, Enna, Prato, Milan and Como.

According to investigators, he was part of an anti-Christian and anti-Shiite Muslim organisation, and had shared several images on Facebook encouraging jihad and violence which had received many "likes" from followers.

His posts included messages of approval after Islamist gunmen killed several French journalists from the satirical Charlie Hebdo magazine earlier this year.

In another post on the social network he said "try to be interested in martyrdom. Jihad will continue until the end".

Bilal arrived in Sicily on a boat from Libya in January 2014. Investigators began monitoring him while he was staying at the 'Città del Sole' reception centre in Piazza Armerina. He had emerged as a leader in the Pakistani community at the centre and an instigator of several moments of unrest. He had been noted as displaying particular intolerance to police when they intervened.

Italian police are also investigating two other non-EU immigrants within the anti-terrorism operation that led to the arrest of Bilal, sources familiar with the matter reported.

