Antonio Imerti
Encyclopedia
Antonio Imerti also known as "Nanu feroce" ("fierce dwarf"), is an Italian
criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabria
n mafia. He was born in Villa San Giovanni
and controlled the Fiumara di Muro neighbourhood in Reggio Calabria
.
He was one of the protagonists in the Second 'Ndrangheta war which raged from 1985-1991 between the Condello
-Imerti clan and the De Stefano
-Tegano clan, which left 621 deaths. His marriage in 1983 with Giuseppina Condello – the sister of the Condello
brothers, underbosses of Paolo De Stefano
– triggered the conflict. The De Stefano clan feared the new alliance might challenge their power base. The conflict exploded in 1985, two years after the marriage and saw practically all the 'ndrine in the city of Reggio Calabria grouped into either one of two opposing factions.
The war started wit a failed bomb attack on Antonio Imerti on October 11, 1985, which left three of his bodyguards dead. Two days later, his rival Paolo De Stefano was killed and suspicion fell on Imerti as the one who ordered the killing.
Imerti escaped a second bomb attack on July 7, 1986, and subsequently became a fugitive. He was arrested on March 23, 1993, in Reggio Calabria, together with his brother-in-law Pasquale Condello
. Newspaper reports mentioned that Condello might have surpassed his former boss – and there had been speculation that Condello might have killed Imerti when they both were still fugitives. However, although the speculation proved to be false, Imerti’s power had declined because of his opposition to a 'pax mafiosa' to end the war between the opposing clans in Reggio Calabria.
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...
criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, the 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....
n mafia. He was born in Villa San Giovanni
Villa San Giovanni
Villa San Giovanni is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy. As of 2010 its population was of 13,747.-Geography:...
and controlled the Fiumara di Muro neighbourhood in 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...
.
He was one of the protagonists in the Second 'Ndrangheta war which raged from 1985-1991 between the 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...
-Imerti clan and the De Stefano
De Stefano 'ndrina
The De Stefano 'ndrina is one of the most powerful clans of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina hailed from the Archi neighbourhood in Reggio Calabria. Several of its members were included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy...
-Tegano clan, which left 621 deaths. His marriage in 1983 with Giuseppina Condello – the sister of the 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...
brothers, underbosses of Paolo De Stefano
Paolo 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:...
– triggered the conflict. The De Stefano clan feared the new alliance might challenge their power base. The conflict exploded in 1985, two years after the marriage and saw practically all the 'ndrine in the city of Reggio Calabria grouped into either one of two opposing factions.
The war started wit a failed bomb attack on Antonio Imerti on October 11, 1985, which left three of his bodyguards dead. Two days later, his rival Paolo De Stefano was killed and suspicion fell on Imerti as the one who ordered the killing.
Imerti escaped a second bomb attack on July 7, 1986, and subsequently became a fugitive. He was arrested on March 23, 1993, in Reggio Calabria, together with his brother-in-law Pasquale 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...
. Newspaper reports mentioned that Condello might have surpassed his former boss – and there had been speculation that Condello might have killed Imerti when they both were still fugitives. However, although the speculation proved to be false, Imerti’s power had declined because of his opposition to a 'pax mafiosa' to end the war between the opposing clans in Reggio Calabria.