From El Paso Infoshit Communications Torino, 17 Novembre 1995 Via ECN Bologna RAIDS AGAINST ITALIAN ANARCHISTS On the morning of Thursday, 16 November, carabinieri of the Rome Special Operations Group (ROS), in concert with local paramilitary police, raided anarchists in twelve parts of Italy: Turin, Pinerolo, Cuneo, Roto, Milan, Florence, Rome, Pescara, Naples, Palermo, Catania, and in Sardinia. They were after evidence which could substantiate charges of - subversive association; - membership of an armed band; - terrorist acts against public structures; - possession of arms and explosives; - robbery. Some of those raided were also charged with - kidnapping; - homicide; - attempted homicide. In the majority of cases the raids have also involved the seizure of diaries, telephone numbers, correspondence, leaflets, etc. The enquiry, which is led by the Roman magistrate Antonio Marini, makes no mention of particular alleged misdeeds; the search warrant simply refers to 'concretely suspected movements and contacts' deduced by the enquiry into the above mentioned illegal activities. All those raided are anarchists. Many, if not all of them, have participated - directly or in their own city, through leafletting and other publicity, benefits, and attendance at trials - in actions of solidarity with the four anarchists arrested in Rovereto back in September 1994 and charged with robbery. These latter are currently in prison and awaiting another trial, also for robbery. This seems to be the basis of the charge of subversive association and membership of an armed band, etc: given that all those now arrested have expressed solidarity with the alleged robbers, and given that all are anarchists, and that something was said, written or done which refused to keep quiet and just put up with the fact that the four are in prison, THEY ALL MUST CONCUR. More than that, they must be an organised, clandestine group, with many cells and such like which have attempted every act possible (robberies, thefts, killings, kidnappings) on the basis of their organisation's pre-established program and under the direction of its military leaders, etc. Before, in earlier cases (the last a couple of months ago), there was talk of subversive association in terms of 'affinity groups' - a magical and mysterious phrase that evokes in the mind of our fearless investigators mysterious, organised, clandestine bands of terrorists, etc. Of course, if anyone has any doubts they could have looked up the word 'affinity' in a dictionary, or maybe even browsed through some anarchist publications... But they don't need to, because they know it all already. There have been at least three enquiries into subversive association directed against anarchists in the past two years here in Piedmont alone. Each time something strange happens,and it can't be blamed on young hooligan migrants or the mafia or naziskins (the latter are scarce in these parts), some investigator decides to track down the impossible organisational structure by means of bugging devices, phone taps, tails, intercepting mail, photos and films, break-ins, and so on. And now the big breakthrough, obviously from our capital city Rome, which ties everything together: anarchists across Italy and wrecked high tension towers, bombs in barracks and churches, robberies, kidnappings... Attention seems to be particularly concentrated on anti-clerical activities in the Trent region back in March before the Pope's visit, when many of us were involved in a travelling exhibition about the Inquisition, along with public debates and meetings. They can't silence us like this: our solidarity with those in prison has not diminished; on the contrary, it has only strengthened in the face of recent events. They can keep looking for leaders and organisational charts within the anarchist camp; all they will find are individuals in revolt against the order of things. We don't like singing in chorus. For more information, contact: luc@freenet.hut.fi --------------------------------------- ECN Bologna (European Counter Network) modem 051-520986 Controinformazione Antagonista ++++stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++ e-mail fam0393@iperbole.bologna.it http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/ecn/ecn bo.htm ---------------------------------------