San Luca feud
Encyclopedia
The San Luca feud or Vendetta of San Luca is a long running conflict between two clans of the 'Ndrangheta—an Italian organized crime
organisation—that began in 1991 in Italy
's Calabria region
in the village of San Luca
.
-Vottari-Romeo families, both belong to the 'Ndrangheta crime organization. After a fight at a carnival
celebration in 1991 turned ugly, two young men from Stangio-Nirta were killed, leading to a series of revenge killings. In May 1993, four people were killed in an hour. Shortly thereafter, the old patriarch Antonio Nirta
imposed a peace with the help of the De Stefano clan
from Reggio Calabria
, which held for some time.
A truce was called in 2000. The conflict flared up again on 25 December 2006 when Maria Strangio was shot to death in San Luca. She was the wife of Giovanni Luca Nirta, a supposed leader of the Strangio-Nirta family. At the funeral of Maria Strangio, her cousin Giovanni Strangio
appeared with gun, presumably to kill members of the Pelle-Romeo clan. He was arrested and released in July 2007. Until August 2007, 5 more murders and 8 attempted murders in Calabria were attributed to the feud.
During the reconstruction of Christmas at the trial in 2011 the prosecution said that there was a "state of war" between the two clans. Evidence collected by phone taps, interceptions and declarations of turncoats showed that the instigator of the attack was Francesco Pelle, also known as 'Ciccio Pakistan', while the order came from Franco Vottari. Among the perpetrators of the crime, was Sebastiano Vottari, a brother of Franco.
The conflict then received significant new public attention on 15 August 2007 when six men belonging to the Pelle-Romeo clan were shot dead in their cars in front of a pizzeria near the train station of Duisburg
in western Germany
. One of the killed men, Marco Marmo, was seen as responsible for the murder of Maria Strangio. It is believed that the men had moved to Germany to escape the feud. Giovanni Strangio
was identified as one of the two triggermen who fired more than 70 shots. The second triggerman is believed to be Strangio’s brother-in-law Giuseppe Nirta (born in 1973), also wanted for international cocaine trafficking.
In Germany the massacre instigated the Mafia? Nein danke!
movement, inspired by the example of the anti-Mafia movement Addiopizzo
in Sicily.
was arrested on October 12, 2007. German and Italian police cooperated, and four members of the Strangio-Nirta clan were arrested in December 2007; the main suspect of the shooting, Giovanni Strangio, was however able to escape. The head of the Strangio-Nirta clan, Giuseppe Nirta
was arrested on May 23, 2008. His son and successor Paolo Nirta (a cousin of Giovanni Strangio) on August 7, 2008.
Police concluded from telephone surveillance that the 'Ndrangheta clan bosses had negotiated a cease fire near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
in Aspromonte
, a traditional meeting place of the 'Ndrangheta. According to prosecutor Nicola Gratteri the elite bosses of the 'Ndrangheta imposed a peace directly after the Duisburg massacre.
On March 12, 2009, Dutch police arrested Giovanni Strangio and his brother-in-law, Francesco Romeo, in an apartment in Diemen
near Amsterdam
, after German police learned that they were hiding there by following clues found in Nirta's flat after his arrest. On February 11, 2010, police arrested Sebastiano Nirta in San Luca suspected of being Strangio's accomplices in the Duisburg killings. The jailed Giuseppe Nirta received an additional arrest warrant. Both were charged on the basis of DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene.
. Strangio followed the hearing via video link to his prison cell in Rome. On July 12, 2011, the Criminal Court in Locri sentenced eight people to life imprisonment for their roles in a violent feud, including Giovanni Strangio, Gianluca Nirta, Francesco Nirta (37), Giuseppe Nirta, detto 'Peppe u versu' (71), Francesco Pelle, known as 'Ciccio Pakistan' (34), Sebastiano Romeo (34), Francesco Vottari known as 'Ciccio u Frunzu' (40) and Sebastiano Vottari, known as 'il Professore' (28). Three other people were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from nine to 12 years, while three more were acquitted.
Italian organized crime
Since their appearance in the middle of the 19th century, Italian organized crime and criminal organizations have infiltrated the social and economic life of many regions in Southern Italy, the most notorious of which being the Sicilian Mafia, which would later expand into some foreign countries...
organisation—that began in 1991 in Italy
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...
's Calabria region
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....
in the village of San Luca
San Luca
San Luca is a comune in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. The town is situated on the eastern slopes of the Aspromonte mountain, in the valley of the Bonamico river...
.
Carnival fight started feud
The two involved clans, the Strangio-Nirta and PelleAntonio Pelle
Antonio Pelle , also known as Ntoni Gambazza, was a historically significant and some say charismatic 'Ndrangheta boss from San Luca in Calabria...
-Vottari-Romeo families, both belong to the 'Ndrangheta crime organization. After a fight at a carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
celebration in 1991 turned ugly, two young men from Stangio-Nirta were killed, leading to a series of revenge killings. In May 1993, four people were killed in an hour. Shortly thereafter, the old patriarch Antonio Nirta
Antonio Nirta
Antonio Nirta is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organization in Calabria . Together with his brothers Giuseppe, Francesco and Sebastiano, he ruled San Luca, a stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta.-'Ndrangheta in San Luca:...
imposed a peace with the help of the De Stefano clan
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...
from 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...
, which held for some time.
A truce was called in 2000. The conflict flared up again on 25 December 2006 when Maria Strangio was shot to death in San Luca. She was the wife of Giovanni Luca Nirta, a supposed leader of the Strangio-Nirta family. At the funeral of Maria Strangio, her cousin Giovanni Strangio
Giovanni Strangio
Giovanni Strangio is an alleged member of the 'Ndrangheta from Siderno in Calabria. A fugitive since 2007 included on the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy as well as in Germany, Strangio was arrested in Amsterdam on March 12, 2009.-San Luca feud:Strangio was wanted for the Duisburg massacre...
appeared with gun, presumably to kill members of the Pelle-Romeo clan. He was arrested and released in July 2007. Until August 2007, 5 more murders and 8 attempted murders in Calabria were attributed to the feud.
During the reconstruction of Christmas at the trial in 2011 the prosecution said that there was a "state of war" between the two clans. Evidence collected by phone taps, interceptions and declarations of turncoats showed that the instigator of the attack was Francesco Pelle, also known as 'Ciccio Pakistan', while the order came from Franco Vottari. Among the perpetrators of the crime, was Sebastiano Vottari, a brother of Franco.
The Duisburg massacre
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
in western Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. One of the killed men, Marco Marmo, was seen as responsible for the murder of Maria Strangio. It is believed that the men had moved to Germany to escape the feud. Giovanni Strangio
Giovanni Strangio
Giovanni Strangio is an alleged member of the 'Ndrangheta from Siderno in Calabria. A fugitive since 2007 included on the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy as well as in Germany, Strangio was arrested in Amsterdam on March 12, 2009.-San Luca feud:Strangio was wanted for the Duisburg massacre...
was identified as one of the two triggermen who fired more than 70 shots. The second triggerman is believed to be Strangio’s brother-in-law Giuseppe Nirta (born in 1973), also wanted for international cocaine trafficking.
In Germany the massacre instigated the Mafia? Nein danke!
Mafia? Nein danke!
Mafia? Nein Danke! is an anti-mafia movement that was created in Germany after the Duisburg massacre in August 2007. Born...
movement, inspired by the example of the anti-Mafia movement Addiopizzo
Addiopizzo
Addiopizzo is a grassroots movement established to build a community of businesses and consumers who refuse to pay "pizzo" – Mafia extortion money. It is a grassroots social-conscience motivated consumer movement analogous to Fair Trade...
in Sicily.
Chasing the suspects
A massacre of this size had been unprecedented in the history of the 'Ndrangheta. Italian police drastically heightened security measures in San Luca as a result, and arrested over 30 'Ndrangheta members, including Giovanni Luca Nirta. Nirta's rival Francesco VottariFrancesco Vottari
Francesco Vottari , also known as Cicciu u Frunzu, is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta from San Luca in Calabria. He is the son of Giuseppe Vottari...
was arrested on October 12, 2007. German and Italian police cooperated, and four members of the Strangio-Nirta clan were arrested in December 2007; the main suspect of the shooting, Giovanni Strangio, was however able to escape. The head of the Strangio-Nirta clan, Giuseppe Nirta
Giuseppe Nirta (born 1940)
Giuseppe Nirta is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta from San Luca in Calabria. He is the current head of the Nirta clan.The Nirta clan is allied with the Strangio clan in a vendetta against the Pelle-Vottari-Romeo families known as the so-called San Luca feud...
was arrested on May 23, 2008. His son and successor Paolo Nirta (a cousin of Giovanni Strangio) on August 7, 2008.
Police concluded from telephone surveillance that the 'Ndrangheta clan bosses had negotiated a cease fire near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi, also known as the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Polsi or Our lady of the Mountain, is a Christian sanctuary in the heart of the Aspromonte mountains, near San Luca in Calabria, southern Italy. It was founded by Roger II of Sicily in 1144...
in Aspromonte
Aspromonte
Aspromonte is a mountain massif in the province of Reggio Calabria . The name means "rough mountains", so named by the farmers who found its steep terrain and rocky soil difficult to cultivate. It overlooks the Strait of Messina, being limited by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas and by the Pietrace...
, a traditional meeting place of the 'Ndrangheta. According to prosecutor Nicola Gratteri the elite bosses of the 'Ndrangheta imposed a peace directly after the Duisburg massacre.
On March 12, 2009, Dutch police arrested Giovanni Strangio and his brother-in-law, Francesco Romeo, in an apartment in Diemen
Diemen
Diemen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands with a population of around 24,000. Diemen is located in the province of North Holland directly to the east of Amsterdam within the capital's metropolitan area.-Geography:...
near Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, after German police learned that they were hiding there by following clues found in Nirta's flat after his arrest. On February 11, 2010, police arrested Sebastiano Nirta in San Luca suspected of being Strangio's accomplices in the Duisburg killings. The jailed Giuseppe Nirta received an additional arrest warrant. Both were charged on the basis of DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene.
Trial
The trial against the killers started on April 14, 2010, in LocriLocri
Locri is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy. The name derives from the ancient Greek town Locris.-History:...
. Strangio followed the hearing via video link to his prison cell in Rome. On July 12, 2011, the Criminal Court in Locri sentenced eight people to life imprisonment for their roles in a violent feud, including Giovanni Strangio, Gianluca Nirta, Francesco Nirta (37), Giuseppe Nirta, detto 'Peppe u versu' (71), Francesco Pelle, known as 'Ciccio Pakistan' (34), Sebastiano Romeo (34), Francesco Vottari known as 'Ciccio u Frunzu' (40) and Sebastiano Vottari, known as 'il Professore' (28). Three other people were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from nine to 12 years, while three more were acquitted.
Sources
- Rache am Weihnachtsmörder, Spiegel Online, 16 August 2007.
- A Deadly Mafia Export from Italy, Spiegel OnlineSpiegel OnlineSpiegel Online , the online version of German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel, is one the most visited news websites written in the German language.- Company :...
, 15 August 2007 - Mafia six killed over an egg, The ScotsmanThe ScotsmanThe Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, 16 August 2007 - Mafia feud blamed for 'executions' in Germany, Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, 16 August 2007