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President of Italy Questioned in Mafia Case President of Italy Questioned in Mafia Case
(about 1 hour later)
ROME — Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, gave testimony on Tuesday in a far-reaching trial in which the state stands accused of holding secret talks with the Mafia in the 1990s, a period marked by political assassinations and bombings throughout Italy.ROME — Italy’s president, Giorgio Napolitano, gave testimony on Tuesday in a far-reaching trial in which the state stands accused of holding secret talks with the Mafia in the 1990s, a period marked by political assassinations and bombings throughout Italy.
Mr. Napolitano is the first sitting head of state to be questioned in a Mafia trial, though he is not accused of any crime.Mr. Napolitano is the first sitting head of state to be questioned in a Mafia trial, though he is not accused of any crime.
Instead, prosecutors in Palermo, Sicily, sought his testimony to clear up aspects of a murky period when high-ranking police officials supposedly negotiated with Sicily’s Cosa Nostra to put an end to a campaign of violence in exchange for softening tough jail conditions for Mafia members.Instead, prosecutors in Palermo, Sicily, sought his testimony to clear up aspects of a murky period when high-ranking police officials supposedly negotiated with Sicily’s Cosa Nostra to put an end to a campaign of violence in exchange for softening tough jail conditions for Mafia members.
The 10 defendants include the interior minister at the time, Nicola Mancino, who is on trial for perjury charges, and Salvatore (Totò) Riina, who led the Corleonese family and was at the time Italy’s most prominent Mafia boss. The 10 defendants include the interior minister at the time, Nicola Mancino, who is on trial on perjury charges, and Salvatore (Totò) Riina, who led the Corleonese family and was at the time Italy’s most prominent Mafia boss.
“Today was certainly a historical hearing. I don’t think a head of state ever testified in a trial,” Luca Cianferoni, Mr. Riina’s lawyer, said in a telephone interview. “But the contents are not groundbreaking. It’s only one page in a trial that is expected to write many more pages, even more interesting ones, on the terror strategy and its historical meaning.”“Today was certainly a historical hearing. I don’t think a head of state ever testified in a trial,” Luca Cianferoni, Mr. Riina’s lawyer, said in a telephone interview. “But the contents are not groundbreaking. It’s only one page in a trial that is expected to write many more pages, even more interesting ones, on the terror strategy and its historical meaning.”
Mr. Napolitano — who was the speaker of the lower house of Italy’s Parliament at the time — answered questions for three hours in a state room at the Quirinale, as the presidential palace in Rome is known. Mr. Napolitano, who was the speaker of the lower house of Italy’s Parliament at the time, answered questions for three hours in a state room at the Quirinale, as the presidential palace in Rome is known.
In particular, he was quizzed about a letter written to him by Loris D’Ambrosio, Mr. Napolitano’s legal adviser since 2006 and a former anti-Mafia official, who had been contacted by Mr. Mancino when the investigation began. In particular, he was quizzed about a letter written to him by Loris D’Ambrosio, Mr. Napolitano’s legal adviser starting in 2006 and a former anti-Mafia official, whom Mr. Mancino had contacted when the investigation began.
In the letter, Mr. D’Ambrosio confessed that he feared he had been used to “shield unfathomable accords.” Mr. D’Ambrosio died from a heart attack in 2012.In the letter, Mr. D’Ambrosio confessed that he feared he had been used to “shield unfathomable accords.” Mr. D’Ambrosio died from a heart attack in 2012.
The hearing was held behind closed doors, provoking protests by the Italian news media, but details emerged from some of the lawyers who were present.The hearing was held behind closed doors, provoking protests by the Italian news media, but details emerged from some of the lawyers who were present.
Mr. Napolitano was said to have defended the morals and professional stature of his former aide. He also said he had little information to add to the trial itself. Mr. Napolitano was said to have defended the morals and professional stature of Mr. D’Ambrosio. He also said he had little information to add to the trial itself.
In a note, the president’s office said that Mr. Napolitano had “answered all questions” and that it was the expressed hope of the president that the transcripts of the testimony, “given by the head of state with the utmost transparency and serenity,” would be made public as soon as possible.In a note, the president’s office said that Mr. Napolitano had “answered all questions” and that it was the expressed hope of the president that the transcripts of the testimony, “given by the head of state with the utmost transparency and serenity,” would be made public as soon as possible.
Prosecutors are investigating whether the state came to an accord with mob bosses to halt a spate of violence, including bombings at the famed Uffizi museum in Florence, a museum in Milan and churches in Rome.Prosecutors are investigating whether the state came to an accord with mob bosses to halt a spate of violence, including bombings at the famed Uffizi museum in Florence, a museum in Milan and churches in Rome.
Prosecutors claim that talks between the mobsters and the state began two months before the anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three bodyguards were killed in May 1992 in an explosion on a Sicilian highway just as they were crossing it. Two months later, a car bomb killed another anti-Mafia magistrate, Paolo Borsellino, and his bodyguards in Palermo.Prosecutors claim that talks between the mobsters and the state began two months before the anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three bodyguards were killed in May 1992 in an explosion on a Sicilian highway just as they were crossing it. Two months later, a car bomb killed another anti-Mafia magistrate, Paolo Borsellino, and his bodyguards in Palermo.
Prosecutors believe the easing of conditions for about 300 jailed mobsters at that time is evidence that an accord between the state and the Mafia had been reached. Prosecutors believe the easing of conditions for about 300 jailed mobsters at that time is evidence of an accord between the state and the Mafia.
The decision to ask Mr. Napolitano to be a witness in the trial was controversial because of his standing. It also gave rise to public debate, as well as feverish news media coverage. Mr. Napolitano’s testimony “is or can be a dramatic moment in our institutional history, above all because an opaque and dangerous operation seems to be underway to let the public opinion believe that Napolitano” is somehow on trial, Stefano Folli, an editorialist for the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, said in a radio commentary. The decision to ask Mr. Napolitano to be a witness in the trial was controversial because of his standing. It gave rise to public debate, as well as feverish news media coverage. Mr. Napolitano’s testimony “is or can be a dramatic moment in our institutional history, above all because an opaque and dangerous operation seems to be underway to let the public opinion believe that Napolitano” is somehow on trial, Stefano Folli, an editorialist for the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, said in a radio commentary.
Mr. Folli cautioned the Palermo prosecutors not to transform the trial into a “media forum that exploits the Quirinale to set up a great circus destined in the end to evaporate like a soap bubble, leaving behind only the rubble of institutional credibility.”Mr. Folli cautioned the Palermo prosecutors not to transform the trial into a “media forum that exploits the Quirinale to set up a great circus destined in the end to evaporate like a soap bubble, leaving behind only the rubble of institutional credibility.”