Alessio Casimirri
Encyclopedia
Alessio Casimirri is an Italian terrorist and member of the Red Brigades
(BR), currently fugitive.
Casimirri was born in Rome
. His mother was a Vatican City
citizen, and his father had worked for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano
and as the public relations man for three Popes.
After a militancy in Potere Operaio
and other far-left organizations in Rome, he entered the Red Brigades
. He was condemned in absentia to life imprisonment for the assassination of Aldo Moro's escort
in 1978. In 1980 he abandoned the BR and subsequently fled abroad, reaching Nicaragua
after a period in Libya
and Cuba
. In the Central American country he participated in the Sandinist guerrilla against the Contras
, after which, together with other Italian expatriates, he opened a restaurant in Managua
, called Magica Roma.
Thanks to his Nicaraguan citizenship, obtained through his marriage with a local woman, he could not be extradited
to Italy, despite the repeated requests of Italian magistrates.
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
(BR), currently fugitive.
Casimirri was born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. His mother was a Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
citizen, and his father had worked for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano is the "semi-official" newspaper of the Holy See. It covers all the Pope's public activities, publishes editorials by important churchmen, and runs official documents after being released...
and as the public relations man for three Popes.
After a militancy in Potere Operaio
Potere Operaio
Potere Operaio was a radical left-wing Italian political group, active between 1968 and 1973. Among the group's leaders were Antonio Negri, Franco Piperno, Oreste Scalzone and Valerio Morucci, who led its clandestine...
and other far-left organizations in Rome, he entered the Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
. He was condemned in absentia to life imprisonment for the assassination of Aldo Moro's escort
Kidnapping of Aldo Moro
The kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro was a seminal event in Italian political history.On the morning of 16 March 1978, the day in which the new cabinet led by Giulio Andreotti would undergo the confidence vote at the Italian Parliament, the car of Aldo Moro, former prime minister and then...
in 1978. In 1980 he abandoned the BR and subsequently fled abroad, reaching Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
after a period in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. In the Central American country he participated in the Sandinist guerrilla against the Contras
Contras
The contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua's FSLN Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction government following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle's dictatorship...
, after which, together with other Italian expatriates, he opened a restaurant in Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
, called Magica Roma.
Thanks to his Nicaraguan citizenship, obtained through his marriage with a local woman, he could not be extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to Italy, despite the repeated requests of Italian magistrates.