Italian police seize missile in raids on far right

Italian police seize missile in raids on far right

Officers also uncover a large cache of weapons and neo-Nazi paraphernalia.


Counterterrorism police inspect an air-to-air missile seized during an operation against the extreme right in Turin, Italy, 15 July 2019.

7/16/19
Italian police have seized a large cache of combat weapons, including an air-to-air missile, in raids on far-right extremist groups. The operation, led by a counterterrorism police force in Turin, took place in several cities in northern Italy on Monday. Three men were arrested in the raids. Officers found ammunition and firearms, including assault rifles and a submachine gun, as well as neo-Nazi paraphernalia, the police said in a statement. In an airport hangar, police also found an air-to-air missile that the men were allegedly trying to sell. Italian media reported the missile had come from Qatar. The police said the raids were part of an investigation into Italian far-right members who participated in the Russian-backed insurgency in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Italian media named the three arrested men as Italian citizens Fabio Bernardi, 51, and Fabio Del Bergiolo, 50 — a former customs officer who unsuccessfully ran for the Italian Senate for the neofascist Forza Nuova party in 2001 — and Swiss citizen Alessandro Monti, 42.

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Demonstrates again how dangerous the far-right movement is, and also the connections between European neo-Nazi organizations and the Putin regime.

Related: A missile, guns and Nazi paraphernalia were confiscated by Italian police after arrest

I’m sure they’re actually “fine people”.

It is an air to air missile that I expect is useless without a radar/firing system to fire it.

Note: it is a French missile that was initially sold to Qatar I believe for use on Mirage fighter jets. They were likely trying to sell it to Libya which operates the jets the missile was designed for

If however the group was trying to modify it so it could be ground launched, then yes that group would have been dangerous as F

Rogue Valley said:

~ the connections between European neo-Nazi organizations and the Putin regime ~

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He ran a chilling interview during the last G7 meeting. Warning - 1hr 20 mins interview



Very clear he is a big fan of nationalist, populist movements.

Lord Tammerlain said:

It is an air to air missile that I expect is useless without a radar/firing system to fire it.

Note: it is a French missile that was initially sold to Qatar I believe for use on Mirage fighter jets. They were likely trying to sell it to Libya which operates the jets the missile was designed for

If however the group was trying to modify it so it could be ground launched, then yes that group would have been dangerous as F

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Beyond that, "Officers found ammunition and firearms, including assault rifles and a submachine gun." A dangerous neo-Nazi group.

Rogue Valley said:

Beyond that, "Officers found ammunition and firearms, including assault rifles and a submachine gun." A dangerous neo-Nazi group.

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Their is dangerous, and their is dangerous. Extremist groups having guns including rifles and submachine guns is a standard level of dangerous. Having a AA missile takes to another level

Rogue Valley said:

Demonstrates again how dangerous the far-right movement is, and also the connections between European neo-Nazi organizations and the Putin regime.

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In Italy, the far right is still very much a fringe, mostly anti-immigrant but then, so are the Italian socialists. Their greatest domestic enemy, mafioso. I won't be surprised to find these weapons eventually traced back to mafioso who then turned informants. No one can claim these guys are very bright. Any connection to the Russians is very frail.

Meanwhile, organized crime groups in Cyprus, Sardinia, Corsica and Marseilles, have been competing for sales of illicit arms and war technology. Fueled with income from the Cocaine and Heroin trades, former Soviet states, with immense paranoia of Russia are among the clients they vie for. They are not about to allow right wing extremists to gain a foothold in any of their business spheres. It's easier to have the Police do the takedown, as they score points for cooperation, and in return gain a few get out of jail cards, with the Polizia di Stato getting lovely photo ops.

OldFatGuy said:

In Italy, the far right is still very much a fringe, mostly anti-immigrant but then, so are the Italian socialists. Their greatest domestic enemy, mafioso. I won't be surprised to find these weapons eventually traced back to mafioso who then turned informants. No one can claim these guys are very bright. Any connection to the Russians is very frail.

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No so. 17 Italians are wanted by Ukraine for "terrorism" (fighting with pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine). Most are from the far-right.

Rogue Valley said:

No so. 17 Italians are wanted by Ukraine for "terrorism" (fighting with pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine). Most are from the far-right.

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I didn't say otherwise. More likely than for political like minded collusion, these guys were functioning as mercenaries, whom almost anyone can hire. It isn't a matter of political sympathy as much as it is a matter of brutes for hire. I firmly believe, many mercenaries have extreme right origins. Doesn't matter where they are from, the same extreme right philosophies are part and parcel of the mercenary mind set.

Putin is a figure head in his own nation, and neither left nor right, a nationalist first and foremost. Real power rarely shows its face, doing so is a vulnerability. Let Kings and Bishops have their pomp, the real power is always behind the facade calling the shots from the shadows.

France and Qatar have as much explaining to do as Russia does in this case. The missile was apparently to be sold, no doubt to fund far-right agendas and perhaps operations. Were those arrested more concerned with a political agenda or selling weapons for profit (or were both of equal importance)?

What a mess this is and well done to Italian authorities for bringing this to light.

Chao.
Evilroddy..