Mario Moretti
Encyclopedia
Mario Moretti is an Italian
former terrorist. A leading member of the Red Brigades
in the late 1970s, he was one of the kidnappers of Aldo Moro
, president of Italy's largest party, Democrazia Cristiana, and several times premier, in 1978; he later confessed to have been the one who killed the politician.
, Marche, into a middle-class, right-wing, family. Later Moretti tried to fabricate for himself a leftist and proletarian familiar
environment, but the documents collected by the Italian Parliament's commission about the assassination of Aldo Moro later denied this reconstruction.
Recommended by an Italian noblewoman, Anna Casati Stampa, he moved to Milan
in 1968 to work and to study at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
. Moretti did not take part in the upheaval of 1968. In Milan, Moretti worked at the Sit-Siemens, where he knew Corrado Alunni, Giorgio Semeria and Paola Besuschio, future members of the Red Brigades
(BR). He also became a member of CISL
, the largest Catholic-oriented trade union of Italy. Together with others, he adhered to the Collettivo Politico Metropolitano founded by Renato Curcio
and Margherita Cagol
, which formed the historical nucleus of the Red Brigades at their constitution (August 1970). Moretti became a member of BR in the Spring of 1971. His first action was a mugging in June 1971, together with Renato Curcio.
In 1974, when Curcio and Alberto Franceschini
were arrested, he became the organization's only leading member still in freedom, together with Cagol and Semeria who were however killed and, respectively, arrested in the following year. Some sources suggested that Moretti, despite informed by an anonymous phone call of the incoming arrest of Curcio and Franceschini, did not warn them.
Moretti pushed BR towards a more military attitude, and introduced a thorough separation between the members in order to reduce the consequences when one of them was arrested. In 1975 he moved to Rome
. In the Spring of 1978 he organized the kidnapping and the execution of Christian Democratic leader Aldo Moro
. The circumstances of this assassination are still not clear. It is known, however, that Mario Moretti was the only person to talk to Moro during the 55 days of imprisonment Moretti also confessed to have assassinated Moro personally after it became clear the request made by BR to free the politician (the liberation of thirteen jailed terrorists) would not be satisfied by the Italian government.
He was sentenced to six life sentences for his crime, but, after serving 15 years in jail, he was paroled and freed in 1998. Moretti was suspected of being a spy
by Red Brigade founders Alberto Franceschini
and Renato Curcio
. Historian Sergio Flamigni
believes Moretti was used by Gladio in Italy
to take over the Red Brigades and pursue a strategy of tension
.
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...
former terrorist. A leading member of 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"...
in the late 1970s, he was one of the kidnappers of Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....
, president of Italy's largest party, Democrazia Cristiana, and several times premier, in 1978; he later confessed to have been the one who killed the politician.
Biography
Moretti was born in Porto San GiorgioPorto San Giorgio
Porto San Giorgio is a comune in the Province of Fermo, in the Marche region of Italy. It has approximately 16,200 inhabitants and it is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.-History:...
, Marche, into a middle-class, right-wing, family. Later Moretti tried to fabricate for himself a leftist and proletarian familiar
environment, but the documents collected by the Italian Parliament's commission about the assassination of Aldo Moro later denied this reconstruction.
Recommended by an Italian noblewoman, Anna Casati Stampa, he moved to 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 ,...
in 1968 to work and to study at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a privately-owned Catholic university founded in 1921 by Agostino Gemelli. Its main campus is located in Milan, Italy with satellite campuses in Brescia, Piacenza, Cremona, Rome, and Campobasso...
. Moretti did not take part in the upheaval of 1968. In Milan, Moretti worked at the Sit-Siemens, where he knew Corrado Alunni, Giorgio Semeria and Paola Besuschio, future members of 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"...
(BR). He also became a member of CISL
CISL
CISL may mean:* Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori, the Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions* Continental Indoor Soccer League. An Indoor Soccer League 1993-1997* CISL , a radio station in Richmond, British Columbia....
, the largest Catholic-oriented trade union of Italy. Together with others, he adhered to the Collettivo Politico Metropolitano founded by Renato Curcio
Renato Curcio
Renato Curcio is the former leader of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades .-Background:...
and Margherita Cagol
Margherita Cagol
Margherita Cagol was a former leader of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades . She was married to Renato Curcio.-Life:...
, which formed the historical nucleus of the Red Brigades at their constitution (August 1970). Moretti became a member of BR in the Spring of 1971. His first action was a mugging in June 1971, together with Renato Curcio.
In 1974, when Curcio and Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini was a founder and leading member of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades , along with Renato Curcio, Margherita Cagol and Mario Moretti....
were arrested, he became the organization's only leading member still in freedom, together with Cagol and Semeria who were however killed and, respectively, arrested in the following year. Some sources suggested that Moretti, despite informed by an anonymous phone call of the incoming arrest of Curcio and Franceschini, did not warn them.
Moretti pushed BR towards a more military attitude, and introduced a thorough separation between the members in order to reduce the consequences when one of them was arrested. In 1975 he moved to 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...
. In the Spring of 1978 he organized the kidnapping and the execution of Christian Democratic leader Aldo Moro
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...
. The circumstances of this assassination are still not clear. It is known, however, that Mario Moretti was the only person to talk to Moro during the 55 days of imprisonment Moretti also confessed to have assassinated Moro personally after it became clear the request made by BR to free the politician (the liberation of thirteen jailed terrorists) would not be satisfied by the Italian government.
He was sentenced to six life sentences for his crime, but, after serving 15 years in jail, he was paroled and freed in 1998. Moretti was suspected of being a spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
by Red Brigade founders Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini was a founder and leading member of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades , along with Renato Curcio, Margherita Cagol and Mario Moretti....
and Renato Curcio
Renato Curcio
Renato Curcio is the former leader of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades .-Background:...
. Historian Sergio Flamigni
Sergio Flamigni
Sergio Flamigni is an Italian politician and writer. A member of the Italian Communist Party , he took part in the Italian Parliament's investigative commissions on the murder of Aldo Moro, the Propaganda Due scandal and on mafia....
believes Moretti was used by Gladio in Italy
Gladio in Italy
While "stay-behind" anti-communist networks existed in all NATO countries, the Italian branch of Operation Gladio was the first one to be discovered. It was set up under Minister of Defense Paolo Taviani's supervision...
to take over the Red Brigades and pursue a strategy of tension
Strategy 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....
.
See also
- Strategy of tensionStrategy of tensionThe 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....
- Aldo MoroAldo MoroAldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....