Ustica case reopens, Meloni encourages Amato: “If you have evidence, make it known”
Fifteen years after Francesco Cossiga, Giuliano Amato renews the French missile theory on the Ustica massacre. President Giorgia Meloni invites the former prime minister to report to the government what he knows. Paris, on its part, states that it has “already provided every element in its possession every time it has been asked. We obviously remain available to work with Italy if requested.” The CSM (Superior Council of Magistracy) is also taking action, with Vice President Fabio Pinelli announcing the request to the Marsala prosecutor’s office “to make all the acts of potential interest accessible” in the investigation conducted by Paolo Borsellino on the “black hole” in the radar tracks on that evening. While the Copasir (Italian Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic) will evaluate whether to intervene next Wednesday. Judiciary, Parliament, civil society. In 43 years, dozens of thousands of pages have been written about the massacre, yet there is still no final conclusion with the names of those responsible. Amato’s reconstruction attributes responsibility to France, “with the complicity of the Americans and those who participated in the aerial war in our skies that evening of June 27th. They wanted to get rid of Gaddafi, who was flying in a Mig”. However, the leader was warned of the danger by Craxi and did not board that plane; the missile hit the Itavia DC9 killing 81 passengers. Since then, there has been a “terrible state secret, or rather, a secret of states” to hide the truth. France or NATO could dissolve it. Hence the invitation to Emmanuel Macron to “remove the disgrace that weighs” on his country: prove that the missile theory is baseless or “apologize to Italy and the victims”. But there have also been people in Italy who have contributed to covering up and misdirecting, accrediting the theory first of structural failure of the aircraft and then that of a bomb on board. In a moment of not-so-idyllic relations with Paris, Prime Minister Meloni does not intend to open a new front. She states that “no act concerning the tragedy of the DC9 is covered by state secret” and describes Amato’s words as “important and deserving attention,” but “the result of personal deductions. I ask Amato to know if, in addition to deductions, he possesses elements that allow us to reconsider the conclusions of the judiciary and the Parliament, and to possibly make them available so that the government can take all the necessary and consequent steps”. The declassification of documents on Ustica, like on the other massacres, has been ongoing for several years, based on directives from various prime ministers. However, it is not always a smooth process, and not all administrations have submitted all the documents to the State Archives. As prime minister, Amato had tried to break the rubber wall by writing to the presidents of France, USA, and Libya, Chirac, Clinton, and Gaddafi, urging them to shed light on the matter. But without success. This is also why the ongoing investigations, with the requests for legal assistance, have not established criminal responsibility. Judge Rosario Priore concluded by labeling the authors of the massacre as “unknown,” while the trial for misdirection against Air Force officers ended in acquittal. The civil court of Palermo in 2011 condemned the ministries of Defense and Transportation to compensate the families of the victims for failing to ensure adequate safety conditions. A new investigation was opened, and not closed, by the Rome prosecutor’s office in 2007, following Cossiga’s statements about the French missile. Amato was also heard as a witness in that case. The two deputy prime ministers have commented on the case. Antonio Tajani said that Amato’s version “is his version. There was a trial, it is up to the judiciary to investigate. Relations between states are not linked to an interview.” According to Matteo Salvini, “it is absolutely necessary to understand if there are also concrete elements to support his words. Given the weight of the statements and his prominent role at the time of the facts, we await comments from the French authorities”. Daria Bonfietti, president of the Association of Relatives of the Victims of the Ustica massacre, applauds Amato’s statements. She has always supported the missile theory: “Now, I expect the government to take action with France. It is not nice for our allies to treat us like this”. On the other hand, General Leonardo Tricarico, of the Association for the Truth about the Ustica air disaster, says that “Amato’s claims are all lies that did not hold up in the criminal trial, in which an incontrovertible truth emerged: that aircraft was the victim of a terrorist attack with a bomb on board”.
Ustica, Amato riapre il caso e Giorgia Meloni lo esorta: «Se hai elementi, facceli conoscere»
Sicilian news
Tutte le Notizie in Italiano
SIGDS