Department of Anti-terrorism Strategic Studies
Encyclopedia
The Department of Anti-terrorism Strategic Studies is an Italian
organization reported to have been set up in 2004 and under investigation since July 2005 .
" during the 1970-80s. Such "parallel police" had been created by far-right members Gaetano Saya
and Riccardo Sindoca, leaders of the National Union of the Police Forces (Unpf), a trade-union well represented among all the various branches of state security forces. Both claimed to be former members of Gladio, whilst far-right Nuovo Movimento Sociale Italiano - Destra Nazionale website described Gaetano Saya as a founding member and president of the party. Riccardo Sindoca was described as an "expert in criminology
" and Destra Nazionale 's Cabinet chief . Destra Nazionale was founded in 2000 as a successor to Giorgio Almirante
's will and the Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI) neo-fascist party http://www.destranazionale.org/presidente.htm.
The group allegedly carried police-like operations by surveilling supects, and by writing reports on them. Such endeavours were performed through illegal access to the Interior Ministry’s protected datafiles. The group also allegedly falsified law enforcement badges. Moreover, among the false information that DSSA provided were details of fictitious al-Qaeda attacks against Milan Linate international airport
and the city landmark Duomo cathedral
. The group allegedly aimed to embezzle funds that became available, both nationally and internationally, after the 11 March 2004 Madrid blasts, as part of the global "war on terror
". DSSA allegedly tried to obtain such funds from NATO, the United States
and Israel
by pretending to be a legitimate and trustworthy intelligence service.
, murdered in Iraq after being taken hostage, was there "for the DSSA".
DSSA founder Gaetano Saya subsequently denied these allegations, indicating in 150 the number of people involved.Furthermore, according to juridical sources, the DSSA was trying to obtain international and national recognition by intelligence agencies, in order to obtain financement for its parallel activities. Il Messaggero
, quoting juridical sources, also declared that wiretaps suggested that DSSA members had been planning to kidnap Cesare Battisti
, a former communist activist wanted by the Italian justice. "We were seeing the genesis of something similar to the death squads in Argentina" the magistrate is reported to have said. Italian press talked about "another Gladio
", referring to NATO's "stay-behind
" clandestine paramilitary groups during the Cold War
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
organization reported to have been set up in 2004 and under investigation since July 2005 .
DSSA activities
The DSSA was investigated by the Italian police in July 2005 upon suspects of being a "parallel police", echoing the "stay-behind" Gladio NATO secret armies, involved in "terrorismo neroStrategy of tension
The strategy of tension is a theory that describes how to divide, manipulate, and control public opinion using fear, propaganda, disinformation, psychological warfare, agents provocateurs, and false flag terrorist actions....
" during the 1970-80s. Such "parallel police" had been created by far-right members Gaetano Saya
Gaetano Saya
Gaetano Saya is a far right Italian politician, leader of the National Right neo-fascist party.Saya has claimed he was a former member of Gladio, NATO's stay-behind anti-Communist network during the Cold War, involved in Italy's strategy of tension during the "Years of Lead."Gaetano Saya was...
and Riccardo Sindoca, leaders of the National Union of the Police Forces (Unpf), a trade-union well represented among all the various branches of state security forces. Both claimed to be former members of Gladio, whilst far-right Nuovo Movimento Sociale Italiano - Destra Nazionale website described Gaetano Saya as a founding member and president of the party. Riccardo Sindoca was described as an "expert in criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
" and Destra Nazionale 's Cabinet chief . Destra Nazionale was founded in 2000 as a successor to Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante was an Italian politician, the founder and leader of the Italian Social Movement until his retirement in 1987.-Early life:...
's will and the Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI) neo-fascist party http://www.destranazionale.org/presidente.htm.
The group allegedly carried police-like operations by surveilling supects, and by writing reports on them. Such endeavours were performed through illegal access to the Interior Ministry’s protected datafiles. The group also allegedly falsified law enforcement badges. Moreover, among the false information that DSSA provided were details of fictitious al-Qaeda attacks against Milan Linate international airport
Linate Airport
Linate Airport is one of the three major airports of Milan, Italy, along with Malpensa Airport and Orio al Serio Airport. Due to its closer proximity to Milan—it is east southeast of the city, compared with Malpensa, which is northwest of the city—it is mainly used for domestic and short-haul...
and the city landmark Duomo cathedral
Duomo di Milano
Milan Cathedral is the cathedral church of Milan, Italy. Dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente , it is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan, currently Cardinal Angelo Scola....
. The group allegedly aimed to embezzle funds that became available, both nationally and internationally, after the 11 March 2004 Madrid blasts, as part of the global "war on terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
". DSSA allegedly tried to obtain such funds from NATO, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by pretending to be a legitimate and trustworthy intelligence service.
Kidnap Cesare Battisti?
Some 25 people were being investigated, but the group was thought to be composed of about 200 persons. Roughly half of the 25 suspects are Italian law enforcement, including Carabinieri, prison guards and financial police. According to the DSSA website - closed after the Italian media's revelations -, Fabrizio QuattrocchiFabrizio Quattrocchi
Fabrizio Quattrocchi was an Italian security officer taken hostage by Islamist militants in Iraq, notable for his defiance of captors shortly before being killed. He was born in Catania, Sicily but grew up in Genoa....
, murdered in Iraq after being taken hostage, was there "for the DSSA".
DSSA founder Gaetano Saya subsequently denied these allegations, indicating in 150 the number of people involved.Furthermore, according to juridical sources, the DSSA was trying to obtain international and national recognition by intelligence agencies, in order to obtain financement for its parallel activities. Il Messaggero
Il Messaggero
Il Messaggero is an Italian newspaper based in Rome, Italy, founded in 1878.It is owned by the Italian publishing company Caltagirone Editore, and its leaders include Azzurra Caltagirone, the partner of the political leader Pierferdinando Casini, on its board...
, quoting juridical sources, also declared that wiretaps suggested that DSSA members had been planning to kidnap Cesare Battisti
Cesare Battisti (activist)
Cesare Battisti is a former member of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a far-left militant group which committed acts of terrorism in Italy during the period known as "anni di piombo"...
, a former communist activist wanted by the Italian justice. "We were seeing the genesis of something similar to the death squads in Argentina" the magistrate is reported to have said. Italian press talked about "another Gladio
Operation Gladio
Operation Gladio is the codename for a clandestine NATO "stay-behind" operation in Italy after World War II. Its purpose was to continue anti-communist actions in the event of a shift to a Communist party led government...
", referring to NATO's "stay-behind
Stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
" clandestine paramilitary groups during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
External links
- http://www.dssa-antiterrorismo.it/ DSSA website: down since the public uproar. Interestingly, the Google cache link given by Peace reporter doesn't work either. The Domain is owned by Riccardo Sindoca, who is a former Gladio member. An archived version of the website is still available via the Web Archive. http://web.archive.org/web/20050527202518/http://www.dssa-antiterrorismo.it/