The Crime Book

323

See also: The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping 178–85 ■ The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln 306–09 ■ The Kidnapping

of Ingrid Betancourt 324–25

ASSASSINATIONS AND POLITICAL PLOTS

way of a campaign of bombings,

assassinations, and abductions.

Following the arrest of founding

Red Brigades members, such as

Renato Curcio, the well-liked Moro

became their next target. The

Brigadists waylaid Moro’s convoy

on its way to the Chamber of

Deputies, and kidnapped him.

Fruitless demands

One week after the abduction, the

group claimed responsibility for

Moro’s kidnap and threatened to kill

him if their demands were not met.

In a controversial decision, the Italian

government staunchly refused to

negotiate. The Italian Communist

party notably disavowed the

terrorists, and declared that they

would not enter into a coalition if

the demands were met.

Moro himself wrote many letters

pleading with the government to

save his life – as did his family,

supporters, and even Pope Paul VI.

Hundreds of suspected terrorists

were arrested as police scoured the

country for Moro but they failed to

find solid clues to his whereabouts.

On 15 April, the Red Brigades

announced that they had sentenced

Moro to death. Knowing that he

was going to die, Moro sent a final

letter to his wife. Abandoned in his

time of need, he also requested that

no one from his political party

attend his funeral. Two days later,

on 9 May 1978, Moro was murdered

by the Red Brigades leader, Mario

Moretti. Thanks to an anonymous

tip, police found Moro’s corpse,

riddled with bullets, in a truck near

the historic centre of Rome. He had

been shot in the heart 11 times.

Finding the killers

In the aftermath of Moro’s death,

many more suspected terrorists

were detained. Embarrassed by the

whole affair, the Italian government

introduced new measures in 1980

to capture those responsible for

Moro’s murder. They introduced

lighter penalties for pentiti – those

who decided to “repent” and inform

on their former comrades.

Despite these measures, the

apparent mastermind behind

Moro’s execution was not caught

until April 1981. Mario Moretti was

finally arrested at a farm between

Milan and Pavia, during a massive

sweep operation conducted across

northern Italy. He received six life

sentences for his crimes. ■

Protecting politicians

Bodyguards protecting high-

ranking politicians, public

officials, or soldiers, take an

oath of commitment to

safeguard an individual by

risking their own lives. All

major politicians are protected

by security details – these are

usually assigned by their

departments, but some also hire

private bodyguards, especially

after their time in office ends.

Some countries have

dedicated security corps to

protect their most powerful

citizens – for example, the US

Secret Service, which guards the

president, or the Swiss Guards,

who protect the Pope.

Bodyguards plan escape

routes, scout venues for escape

routes and potential threats, and

escort their client on their

day-to-day activities. In peak

physical condition, bodyguards

are often members of law

enforcement or former members

of the military. They are usually

trained in firearms, combat,

and first aid, and some

bodyguards also specialize in

fields such as bomb detection.

Aldo Moro stands in front of the flag

of the Red Brigades on 17 March 1978.

That day, the group held a “people’s

trial” of Moro, timed to coincide with

the trial of Brigadist prisoners in Turin.

He knew it was over. I didn’t

deceive him. All I told him

was to get himself ready

because we had to go out.

Mario Moretti

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