TERRORISM IN ITALY - A NEW DIMENSION

• NCJ Number: 53158
• Journal: Security Management Volume: 22 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1978) Pages: 42-45
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Industrial Security
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FOLLOWING A DESCRIPTION OF THE KIDNAPPING OF ALDO MORO, EMERGENCY RESPONSE MEASURES BY THE GOVERNMENT ARE INDICATED AND SECURITY DEFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED.

Abstract

THE KIDNAPPING OF ALDO MORO, A PROMINENT ITALIAN STATESMAN, IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING OCCURRED WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING IN AN AUTOMOBILE TO PARLIAMENT. THROUGH AN ACCIDENT CONTRIVED BY A TERRORIST VEHICLE WITH DIPLOMATIC LICENSE PLATES, MORO'S CAR WAS HALTED ALONG WITH THE TRAILING CAR OF SECURITY GUARDS. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ALL FOUR GUARDS WERE KILLED BY TERRORISTS ON THE SCENE, INCLUDING A SNIPER ON A NEARBY ROOFTOP. ASSOCIATED EVENTS PRECIPITATED BY THE TERRORISTS TO AID THE SUCCESS OF THEIR PLAN ARE ALSO INDICATED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE INTENT OF THE TERRORISTS IN THE MORO KIDNAPPING WAS TO STIMULATE REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT ACTION WHICH WOULD RESTRICT THE FREEDOM AND PRIVACY OF THE ITALIAN CITIZENRY AND UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN AND SUPPORT FOR THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT. EMERGENCY REACTIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT ARE INDICATED TO HAVE STOPPED SHORT OF SUCH LARGE SCALE REPRESSION. RECRUITMENT OF ADDITIONAL POLICE, MORE LIBERAL USE OF WIRETAPPING AND OTHER SURVEILLANCE, DETENTION OF SUSPECTS, AND MANDATORY LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR TERRORISTS WHEN A HOSTAGE DIES WERE THE MEASURES INSTITUTED. AN ANALYSIS OF THE EVENTS OF THE KIDNAPPING IS INDICATED TO SHOW MAJOR DEFICIENCIES IN THE SECURITY PROVIDED FOR MORO. THE PREDICTABILITY OF MORO'S SCHEDULE AND TRANSPORTATION ROUTE, THE SLOW REACTION OF THE GUARDS, THE ABSENCE OF A LEAD CAR, THE LACK OF ARMOR AND OTHER SECURITY DEVICES FOR MORO'S CAR, AND A GENERAL LACK OF PREPAREDNESS FOR THE KIND OF SOPHISTICATED MANEUVERS THAT HAD BECOME THE TRADEMARK OF TERRORIST KIDNAPPINGS ARE CITED AS THE PRINCIPAL DEFICIENCIES THAT PERMITTED THE SUCCESSFUL KIDNAPPING. IT IS ADVISED THAT, WHILE SUCH INDIDENTS CANNOT OF THEMSELVES BRING DOWN THE ITALIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM, THEY CAN NOURISH A SENSE OF VULNERABILITY TO LAWLESSNESS AMONG THE CITIZENRY THAT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE TO A STABLE SOCIETY. (RCB)