The suspects have been placed under house arrest for the time being while searches are conducted on their respective properties. The operation, named ‘Tango Down’ by Italian police, was a countrywide crackdown led by the General Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rome. Italian police released a statement saying the four individuals were part of the hacktivist movement and were responsible for attacks on Italian government bodies and the Vatican. However, investigators added that the group also carried out criminal activities using the name of Anonymous as a mask to hide behind.“We have demonstrated that this branch of Anonymous Italy was a criminal organization that used the name of Anonymous as a pretext to carry out their own activities that are not connected to the political agenda of the Anonymous movement in other parts of the world,” said the police statement. According to police information the four individuals hacked into businesses, only to then contact them and sell their own IT solutions as anti-virus software. Anonymous has yet to make a statement regarding the arrest of the four individuals. Last year the Vatican’s website was taken down by the hacktivist group who cited the “corruption” of the Roman Catholic Church as the principle motivation for the cyber-assault. “Anonymous decided today to besiege your site in response to the doctrine, to the liturgies, to the absurd and anachronistic concepts that your for-profit organization spreads around the world,” said a statement posted on the Italian website of the Anonymous movement.”This attack is not against the Christian religion or the faithful around the world but against the corrupt Roman Apostolic Church.” Anonymous rose to prominence in late 2010 when it executed a series of cyber-attacks against companies that were trying to prevent the disclosure of information by whistleblowing site WikiLeaks. More recently the group has carried out attacks on Israeli government websites and shut down media accounts and official sites in North Korea. … Read More
Ruby testifies on Berlusconi’s ‘Bung Bunga’ parties
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She is the Moroccan woman at the centre of a sex scandal involving former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
In court, Karima el-Mahroug testified for the first time describing Berlusconi’s
so-called ‘Bung Bunga’ parties. She said a young woman danced while dressed as a Catholic nun and then stripped for the then Prime Minister.
But today’s trial is separate from one in which the 76-year-old is charged with paying for sex with an underage prostitute and covering it up, which he denies.
Away from the media mogul, the trial focused on three of his former aides charged with soliciting Ruby and other women for prostitution.
Nicole Minetti, former show girl turned politician, Italian talent agent Lele Mora and former news programme director, Emilio Fede, the third defendant. All three deny the charges.
Both Berlusconi and Ms el-Mahroug known as ‘Ruby the heart stealer’ deny having had sex. She admits receiving 7,000 euros after a party but claims it was merely a gift.
More about: Italy, Justice, Silvio Berlusconi, Trial
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Pope Frances to nuns: Be ‘mothers’ rather than ‘spinsters’
Pope Francis told 800 nuns gathered at the Vatican on Wednesday that they should be spiritual “mothers” rather than “spinsters”, and stressed the importance of showing obedience to the Catholic Church. The pontiff, 76, told the assembly of the International Union of…
Giulio Andreotti 1919-2013: a very Italian politician
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“Eternal Giulio” – for half a century, Giulio Andreotti was a model of longevity in an Italy that lurched from one political crisis to the next.
Prime minister seven times between 1972 and 1992, Andreotti was also foreign minister six times. He played a part in almost every government of the post-war period – a stretch of 50 years which saw the Italian economy take off.
Politically a Christian-Democrat, Andreotti was also a devout Roman Catholic, who attended Mass each day and was on first name terms with four Popes, including John Paul II.
Made a life senator in 1991 by Italian President Francesco Cossiga, Andreotti’s critics say that while in office he was a master in the art of survival and compromise – even behind-the-scenes deals.
He quit politics in 1992 after his Christian Democrats gave a poor showing in legislative elections.
In 1993, the elder statesman’s reputation was tarnished by accusations of links with the Mafia. Informers said he was known as “Uncle Giulio” and swapped favours for the mob in return for votes for his Christian-Democrat party – accusations Andreotti always denied.
“If these informers are saying that they saw me meet with mafia bosses, even with Salvatore Riina, then this isn’t just rumour…its pure invention,” he said.
Andreotti worked hard to restore his reputation – but an appeals court found him guilty of the murder in 1979 of an investigative journalist – overturning a prior acquittal.
Despite being sentenced to 24 years in prison, Andreotti was then acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2003.
The following year, in the third and final judgement in the case, he was partially cleared of collusion with the Mafia.
It was ruled that he had indeed had friendly connections with the Mafia before 1980 – but not after -and it was too late to bring a case.
More about: Death, Giulio Andreotti, Italian politics, Italy
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Will the real role of Beate Zschaepe ever be known?
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For many in Germany, this case has reopened an
uncomfortable debate about whether the country must do more to tackle the far-right and lingering racist attitudes.
For victims’ families it is their first chance to come face to face with Zschaepe, a woman whose blank expression and resolute silence since her arrest have left people and police struggling to make sense of her motives.
Prosecutors say the gang chose people running small businesses or shops as easy, vulnerable targets, in a bid to terrify migrants.
They are even charged with compiling a DVD containing an illustrated guide of where and how they carried out the killings.
If found guilty, Zschaepe faces life behind bars.
More about: Germany, Neo-Nazism, Trial
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US had no early warning over Israeli strikes in Syria
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America was not given any advance warning of Israeli air strikes in Syria, according to a US intelligence official.
Israeli jets bombed Syria on Sunday for the second time in 48 hours. Strikes have targeted weapons headed for Hezbollah militants, according to Western and Israeli officials.
The intelligence official said that the US was essentially told of the air raids “after the fact” and was notified as the bombs went off.
Syria has condemned the attacks.
“The Israeli invaders committed a blatant act of aggression against Syria on Sunday morning… by using missiles to attack a Syrian military facility,” said Omran al-Zoubi, Syrian Information Minister.
Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war in 2006. The militant group fired thousands of rockets at Israel – while Israeli warplanes destroyed large areas of southern and eastern Lebanon. The conflict ended in stalemate.
More about: Damascus, Hezbollah, Israel, Syria, Weapons
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