Florence, 9 Sept. (LaPresse) – Using the Mafia attacks of 1992 and 1993 as a political tool, by pinning the blame on the left, in order to pave the way for Silvio Berlusconi’s entry into politics. This is what Giovanni Brusca and Leoluca Bagarella are said to have discussed in 1994, the year Berlusconi entered the political arena with his new party, Forza Italia. This was revealed by the boss of San Giuseppe Jato, appearing as a witness via video link from a secret location, during a hearing in the ongoing trial in Florence against Salvatore Baiardo, the former ice-cream vendor from Omegna (Novara), who stands accused of aggravated slander against TV presenter Massimo Giletti and the former mayor of Cesara (Verbano Cusio Ossola), Giancarlo Ricca. Responding to the prosecutor Leopoldo De Gregorio, who asked about the links between the Cosa Nostra and the political sphere, Brusca went on to explain that, in order to reach Silvio Berlusconi, a meeting was held to entrust the task to Vittorio Mangano – a decision reportedly taken by Stefano Bontade – and that the leader of Forza Italia was also sent ‘a veiled threat’, namely to carry out further attacks ‘to put him in a difficult position’ if ‘he did not give us a hand’. Giuseppe Graviano is due to give evidence at the next hearing, which is scheduled for 20 September.
Mafia, Brusca: “We thought of pinning the blame for the massacres on the left to help Cav”
Florence, 9 Sept. (LaPresse) – Using the Mafia attacks of 1992 and 1993 as a political tool, by pinning the blame on the left, in order to pave the way for Silvio Berlusconi’s entry into politics. This is what Giovanni Brusca and Leoluca Bagarella are said to have discussed in 1994, the year Berlusconi entered the political arena with his new party, Forza Italia. This was revealed by the boss of San Giuseppe Jato, appearing as a witness via video link from a secret location, during a hearing in the ongoing trial in Florence against Salvatore Baiardo, the former ice-cream vendor from Omegna (Novara), who stands accused of aggravated slander against TV presenter Massimo Giletti and the former mayor of Cesara (Verbano Cusio Ossola), Giancarlo Ricca. Responding to the prosecutor Leopoldo De Gregorio, who asked about the links between the Cosa Nostra and the political sphere, Brusca went on to explain that, in order to reach Silvio Berlusconi, a meeting was held to entrust the task to Vittorio Mangano – a decision reportedly taken by Stefano Bontade – and that the leader of Forza Italia was also sent ‘a veiled threat’, namely to carry out further attacks ‘to put him in a difficult position’ if ‘he did not give us a hand’. Giuseppe Graviano is due to give evidence at the next hearing, which is scheduled for 20 September.