Nicolò Pollari
Encyclopedia
Nicolò Pollari is a general of the Italian Guardia di Finanza
, who was the former head of Italy's national military intelligence agency, or SISMI
, until his resignation on 20 November 2006.
He was born in Caltanissetta
, Sicily
.
In a 2005 article in the newspaper La Repubblica
he was identified by investigative reporters Giuseppe D'Avanzo and Carlo Bonini, as has having brought the discredited documents at the center of the Yellowcake forgery
scandal directly to Vice-President Dick Cheney
's Office of Special Plans
, bypassing the CIA, who knew the documents were forgeries.
On 5 December 2006 his indictment
was sought for his role in the abduction of Egyptian cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr
from the streets of Milan
on 17 February 2003. Marco Mancini
, n°2 of the SISMI, as well as the n°3, General Gustavo Pignero, have also been indicted, and arrested, in July 2006, for their role in the Imam Rapito affair
, as well as 26 US citizens.
According to the Italian public prosecutor Pietro Salvitti, cited by La Repubblica
, Nicolò Pollari, as well as Marco Mancini, were some of the informers, alongside Mario Scaramella
, of senator Paolo Guzzanti
, in charge of the controversial Mitrokhin Commission
. Scaramella was arrested at the end of December 2006 on charges of defamation and arms-trade. The Mitrokhin Commission falsely claimed that former Italian prime minister, Romano Prodi
, had been the "KGB's man in Italy" during the Cold War
. Beside targeting Romano Prodi and his staff, this "network", according to Pietro Salvitti's words, also aimed at defaming General Giuseppe Cucchi (current director of the CESIS
), Milan's judges Armando Spataro, in charge of the Imam Rapito case, and Guido Salvini, as well as La Repubblica reporters Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe D'Avanzo.
Guardia di Finanza
The Guardia di Finanza is a Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Like the Carabinieri, it is part of the Italian Armed Forces. The Guard is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's...
, who was the former head of Italy's national military intelligence agency, or SISMI
SISMI
Servizio per le Informazioni e la Sicurezza Militare was the military intelligence agency of Italy from 1977-2007....
, until his resignation on 20 November 2006.
He was born in Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta is a city and comune located on the western interior of Sicily, capital of the province of Caltanissetta...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
In a 2005 article in the newspaper La Repubblica
La Repubblica
la Repubblica is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper. Founded in 1976 in Rome by the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, as of 2008 is the second largest circulation newspaper, behind the Corriere della Sera.-Foundation:...
he was identified by investigative reporters Giuseppe D'Avanzo and Carlo Bonini, as has having brought the discredited documents at the center of the Yellowcake forgery
Yellowcake forgery
The Niger uranium forgeries are forged documents initially revealed by Italian Military intelligence. These documents seem to depict an attempt made by Saddam Hussein in Iraq to purchase yellowcake uranium powder from Niger during the Iraq disarmament crisis....
scandal directly to Vice-President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
's Office of Special Plans
Office of Special Plans
The Office of Special Plans , which existed from September 2002 to June 2003, was a Pentagon unit created by Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith, and headed by Feith, as charged by then-United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, to supply senior George W. Bush administration officials with...
, bypassing the CIA, who knew the documents were forgeries.
On 5 December 2006 his indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
was sought for his role in the abduction of Egyptian cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr
Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr
Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr , also known as Abu Omar, is an Egyptian cleric. In 2003 he was living in Milan, Italy, from where he was kidnapped and allegedly later tortured in Egypt. This "Imam rapito affair" prompted a series of investigations in Italy, culminating in the criminal convictions of...
from the streets of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
on 17 February 2003. Marco Mancini
Marco Mancini
Marco Mancini was the second-highest ranking officer of Sismi, the military intelligence agency of Italy until his 5 July 2006 arrest for his participation in the kidnapping of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr...
, n°2 of the SISMI, as well as the n°3, General Gustavo Pignero, have also been indicted, and arrested, in July 2006, for their role in the Imam Rapito affair
Imam Rapito affair
The Abu Omar Case refers to the abduction and transfer to Egypt of the Imam of Milan Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar...
, as well as 26 US citizens.
According to the Italian public prosecutor Pietro Salvitti, cited by La Repubblica
La Repubblica
la Repubblica is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper. Founded in 1976 in Rome by the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, as of 2008 is the second largest circulation newspaper, behind the Corriere della Sera.-Foundation:...
, Nicolò Pollari, as well as Marco Mancini, were some of the informers, alongside Mario Scaramella
Mario Scaramella
Mario Scaramella is an Italian lawyer, self-styled security consultant and nuclear waste expert who came to international prominence in 2006 in connection with the poisoning of the ex-FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko...
, of senator Paolo Guzzanti
Paolo Guzzanti
Paolo Guzzanti is an Italian journalist and politician. He was previously a member of the Italian Socialist Party.-Biography:Born in Rome, he is the nephew of Elio Guzzanti and father to actors Corrado, Sabina and Caterina....
, in charge of the controversial Mitrokhin Commission
Italian Mitrokhin Commission
The Mitrokhin Commission was a parliamentary commission set up in 2002 by the Italian Parliament, then led by Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing coalition, the Casa delle Libertà, and presided by senator Paolo Guzzanti...
. Scaramella was arrested at the end of December 2006 on charges of defamation and arms-trade. The Mitrokhin Commission falsely claimed that former Italian prime minister, Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, had been the "KGB's man in Italy" 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...
. Beside targeting Romano Prodi and his staff, this "network", according to Pietro Salvitti's words, also aimed at defaming General Giuseppe Cucchi (current director of the CESIS
CESIS
Comitato Esecutivo per i Servizi di Informazione e Sicurezza was an Italian government committee whose mission was the coordination of all the intelligence sector, and specifically between the two civilian and military intelligence agencies , with the aim to report all the relevant information...
), Milan's judges Armando Spataro, in charge of the Imam Rapito case, and Guido Salvini, as well as La Repubblica reporters Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe D'Avanzo.
External links
- http://www.serviziinformazionesicurezza.gov.it/pdcweb.nsf/pagine/ee_direttoresismi - SISMI bio page
- http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/entity.jsp?entity=nicolo_pollari