Armata Corsa
Encyclopedia
Armata Corsa was an underground separatist
terrorist
organization in Corsica
, today disbanded.
Armata Corsa was founded in 1999. Its suspected leaders, François Santoni and Jean-Michel Rossi, allegedly resigned from another organization National Liberation Front of Corsica
(FLNC) the previous year to form their own group.
The organization claims that it acts against links between nationalist
ic and criminal organizations in Corsica. It denounces mafia
-style activities of groups like FLNC and regards itself as the only one serving a pure nationalist cause. Its stated goals include destruction of Corsican organized crime
and the nationalist groups involved with it; transfer of Corsican terrorists currently incarcerated in French prisons to Corsica; and Corsican independence
.
The first acts of terrorism the group claimed responsibility for were five bomb attacks against Departmental Amenities Directorate (DDE) buildings in Ajaccio
, Calvi, Corte
, Porto-Vecchio
and Sartène
. Two days later police also found an unexploded bomb in Bastia
. Two months later there was an explosion in Bonifacio that destroyed a hotel owned by Italians.
Corsica is the main area of AC activities although they have claimed responsibility of some explosions in mainland France as well. They target public infrastructure
, bank
s, tourist
s, police
and army
buildings and targets they regards as symbols of French power over Corsica.
The assumed size of the organization was about 30 people.
In August 2000, Jean-Michel Rossi and his bodyguard were killed in the Corsican town of L'Île-Rousse
; AC claimed that rival nationalists were responsible. They threatened to attack targets in continental France if the police would not swiftly produce results, but the threat has not been carried out.
François Santoni has repeatedly denounced violence. In 2001, he was sentenced to four years in prison for extortion.
Separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy...
terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
organization in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, today disbanded.
Armata Corsa was founded in 1999. Its suspected leaders, François Santoni and Jean-Michel Rossi, allegedly resigned from another organization National Liberation Front of Corsica
National Liberation Front of Corsica
The National Liberation Front of Corsica is a militant group that advocates an independent state on the island of Corsica, separate from France. They also want all currently imprisoned members of the FLNC in France to be put into Corsican prisons. The organisation's presence is primarily in...
(FLNC) the previous year to form their own group.
The organization claims that it acts against links between nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
ic and criminal organizations in Corsica. It denounces mafia
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...
-style activities of groups like FLNC and regards itself as the only one serving a pure nationalist cause. Its stated goals include destruction of Corsican organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
and the nationalist groups involved with it; transfer of Corsican terrorists currently incarcerated in French prisons to Corsica; and Corsican independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
.
The first acts of terrorism the group claimed responsibility for were five bomb attacks against Departmental Amenities Directorate (DDE) buildings in Ajaccio
Ajaccio
Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....
, Calvi, Corte
Corte
Corte is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. It is the fourth-largest commune in Corsica .-Administration:Corte is a subprefecture of the Haute-Corse department.-History:...
, Porto-Vecchio
Porto-Vecchio
Porto-Vecchio is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.It is the seat of the canton of Porto-Vecchio, which it shares with Sari-Solenzara, Conca and Lecci. Port-Vecchio is a medium-sized port city placed on a good harbor, the southernmost of the marshy and...
and Sartène
Sartène
Sartène , is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.Its history dates back to medieval times and granite buildings from the early 16th century still line some of the streets. One of the main incidents in the town's history was an attack by pirates from Algiers...
. Two days later police also found an unexploded bomb in Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
. Two months later there was an explosion in Bonifacio that destroyed a hotel owned by Italians.
Corsica is the main area of AC activities although they have claimed responsibility of some explosions in mainland France as well. They target public infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s, tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
s, police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
buildings and targets they regards as symbols of French power over Corsica.
The assumed size of the organization was about 30 people.
In August 2000, Jean-Michel Rossi and his bodyguard were killed in the Corsican town of L'Île-Rousse
L'Île-Rousse
L'Île-Rousse is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.It was founded in 1758 by Pasquale Paoli to create a port that would not be in the hands of the Genoese like Calvi...
; AC claimed that rival nationalists were responsible. They threatened to attack targets in continental France if the police would not swiftly produce results, but the threat has not been carried out.
François Santoni has repeatedly denounced violence. In 2001, he was sentenced to four years in prison for extortion.