Antonio Nirta
Encyclopedia
Antonio Nirta is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia
-type organization in Calabria
(Italy). Together with his brothers Giuseppe
, Francesco and Sebastiano, he ruled San Luca
, a stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta.
Since the mid-1970s, according to several pentiti
, members of the Nirta family from San Luca
and the Piromalli family
from Gioia Tauro
rotated among themselves the position of capo crimine. Nirta and his brothers belonged to the high level of the organisation, the "maggiore".
In October 1969, he participated in the infamous Montalto meeting near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
in the municipality of San Luca
. The meeting was interrupted by the police, and was intended to discuss the future operation of the 'Ndrangheta and whether or not the organisation would back the Golpe Borghese
, a planned right wing coup attempt by Junio Valerio Borghese
, which fizzled out on the night of December 8, 1970. The Court in Locri sentenced Nirta to two years and seven months for criminal association because of his attendance of the meeting.
and the Imerti-Condello
clans in the Second 'Ndrangheta war that raged from 1985-1991 and left some 600 death. Nirta vouched for the De Stefanos, while Antonio Mammoliti vouched for the Imerti clan. He became a member of La Provincia, a provincial commission of the 'Ndrangheta formed at the end of the war in September 1991, to avoid further internal conflicts.
In 1993, the old patriarch Nirta again imposed a peace in the so-called San Luca feud
– a war between the two clans Pelle-Vottari-Romeo and Strangio-Nirta from San Luca that had started in 1991 – with the help of the De Stefano clan from Reggio Calabria
, which held for some time.
On August 8, 1993, Nirta was arrested in the small town of Benestare
.
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-type organization in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
(Italy). Together with his brothers Giuseppe
Giuseppe Nirta (born 1913)
Giuseppe Nirta , was a historical boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria. He hailed from San Luca in Calabria. Together with his brothers Antonio, Francesco and Sebastiano, he ruled the town, a stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta.Nirta was one of the most important figures of...
, Francesco and Sebastiano, he ruled San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
, a stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta.
'Ndrangheta in San Luca
The historical pre-eminence of the San Luca family within the 'Ndrangheta is such that every new group or locale must obtain its authorization to operate and every group belonging to the 'Ndrangheta "still has to deposit a small percentage of illicit proceeds to the principale of San Luca in recognition of the latter’s primordial supremacy." San Luca, in the words of a study published in 2005 by Italy's domestic intelligence service, is "the cradle of [the 'Ndrangheta] and its epicentre".Since the mid-1970s, according to several pentiti
Pentito
Pentito designates people in Italy who, formerly part of criminal or terrorist organizations, following their arrests decide to "repent" and collaborate with the judicial system to help investigations...
, members of the Nirta family from San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
and the Piromalli family
Piromalli 'ndrina
The Piromalli 'ndrina is one of the most powerful clans of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Gioia Tauro on the Tyrrhenian coast. The Piromalli's are allied with their relatives of the Molè family, also from Gioia Tauro. Often they...
from Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro
Gioia Tauro is a comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria , on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in the world....
rotated among themselves the position of capo crimine. Nirta and his brothers belonged to the high level of the organisation, the "maggiore".
Early criminal career
In 1935, at the age of 16, Nirta was already charged for coercion with the use of arms. In 1953, authorities considered him a danger for public order and in 1967 he was charged with criminal association, extortion and attempted murder.In October 1969, he participated in the infamous Montalto meeting near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi, also known as the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Polsi or Our lady of the Mountain, is a Christian sanctuary in the heart of the Aspromonte mountains, near San Luca in Calabria, southern Italy. It was founded by Roger II of Sicily in 1144...
in the municipality of San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
. The meeting was interrupted by the police, and was intended to discuss the future operation of the 'Ndrangheta and whether or not the organisation would back the Golpe Borghese
Golpe Borghese
The Golpe Borghese was a failed Italian coup d'état allegedly planned for the night of 7 or 8 December 1970. It was named after Junio Valerio Borghese, an Italian World War II commander of the notorious Xª MAS unit, the "Black Prince", convicted of war crimes, but still a hero in the eyes of many...
, a planned right wing coup attempt by Junio Valerio Borghese
Junio Valerio Borghese
Prince Junio Valerio Scipione Borghese was an Italian Navy commander during the regime of Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party and was a prominent hard-line fascist politician in post-war Italy.-Early career:Junio Valerio Borghese was born in Artena, Province of Rome, Kingdom of Italy...
, which fizzled out on the night of December 8, 1970. The Court in Locri sentenced Nirta to two years and seven months for criminal association because of his attendance of the meeting.
Mafia mediator
Antonio Nirta was also known as the "diplomat" of the clan, he mediated the peace between the De StefanoPaolo De Stefano
Paolo De Stefano was a member of the 'Ndrangheta who became the undisputed boss of Reggio Calabria. Together with his brothers Giovanni, Giorgio and Orazio he headed the De Stefano 'ndrina.-Early years:...
and the Imerti-Condello
Pasquale Condello
Pasquale Condello is an Italian criminal known as a member of the 'Ndrangheta. He is also known as "Il supremo" for his role at the top of the crime syndicate. He was a fugitive since 1990 and included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy until his capture in February 2008...
clans in the Second 'Ndrangheta war that raged from 1985-1991 and left some 600 death. Nirta vouched for the De Stefanos, while Antonio Mammoliti vouched for the Imerti clan. He became a member of La Provincia, a provincial commission of the 'Ndrangheta formed at the end of the war in September 1991, to avoid further internal conflicts.
In 1993, the old patriarch Nirta again imposed a peace in the so-called San Luca feud
San Luca feud
The San Luca feud or Vendetta of San Luca is a long running conflict between two clans of the 'Ndrangheta—an Italian organized crime organisation—that began in 1991 in Italy's Calabria region in the village of San Luca....
– a war between the two clans Pelle-Vottari-Romeo and Strangio-Nirta from San Luca that had started in 1991 – with the help of the De Stefano clan from Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
, which held for some time.
On August 8, 1993, Nirta was arrested in the small town of Benestare
Benestare
Benestare is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 90 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 40 km east of Reggio Calabria.-External links:*...
.