This week (May 4-10) in crime history – The Haymarket
Riot (May 4, 1886); The remains of navy veteran William McGuire were found in a
suit case near Virginia Beach (May 5, 2004); Ohio kidnap victims were rescued
from the home of Ariel Castro (May 6, 2013); Old West hangman George Maledon
died (May 6, 1911); Serial killer H.H. Holmes was executed (May 7, 1896);
Edward Munch’s “The Scream” was recovered after it was stolen in Oslo (May 7,
1994): Stella Nickell was convicted of murdering her husband by tampering with
capsules of Excedrin (May 8, 1988); Andrew Cunanan continued his cross country
killing spree (May 9, 1997); Former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro was
assassinated (May 9, 1978); Captain Blood stole the crown jewels (May 9, 1671);
J. Edgar Hoover was named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (May
10, 1924)
Highlighted Crime
Story of the Week -
On May 9, 1978, the body of former Italian Prime Minister
Aldo Moro was found, riddled by bullets, in the back of a car in the center of
historic Rome. He was kidnapped by Red Brigade terrorists on March 16 after a
bloody shoot-out near his suburban home. The Italian government refused to
negotiate with the extreme left-wing group. Moro was a five-time prime minister
of Italy and considered a front-runner for the presidency of Italy in elections
due in December.
Aldo Moro was regarded by many as Italy’s most capable
post-World War II politician. A centrist leader of the Christian Democratic
Party and promoted cooperation between Italy’s disparate political parties.
When he formed his first cabinet in 1963, he included some Socialists, who were
thus participating in the Italian government for the first time in 16 years.
Moro last served as prime minister in 1976, and in October 1976 became
president of the Christian Democrats.
On March 11, 1978, he helped end a government crisis when
he worked out a parliamentary coalition between the Communist Party and the
dominant Christian Democrats. Just five days later, Mr. Moro’s car was attacked
by a dozen armed Red Brigade terrorists. His five guards were killed, and Moro
was abducted and taken to a secret location. On March 18, the Red Brigade
issued a communique claiming responsibility for the kidnapping.
The Red Brigade, established in 1970 by Renato Curcio,
employed bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, and bank robberies as a means
of promoting communist revolution in Italy. The Italian Communist Party, which
supported democracy and participated in Parliament, condemned the terrorist
organization. Curcio and 12 other Red Brigade members were on trial in Turin
when Moro was kidnapped, and legal proceedings were only briefly halted after
his abduction.
The Italian government declined to negotiate with the
kidnappers, claiming that such an action would undermine the state and throw
Italy into chaos. Some critics accused the Christian Democrats of yielding to
pressure from the Communist Party, whose leaders were even more strongly
opposed to a dialogue with the Red Brigade. Police and the army arrested
hundreds of suspected terrorists.
On March 19 and April 4, letters apparently written by
Moro were delivered pleading with the government to negotiate. The government
attempted secret talks, but on April 15 the Red Brigade rejected these negotiations
and announced that Moro had been found guilty in the people’s trial and
sentenced to death. Threats to execute him led nowhere, and on April 24 the
terrorists demanded the release of 13 Red Brigade members held in Turin in
exchange for Moro’s life. On May 9, his body was found on Via Caetani, near the
headquarters of the Christian Democrats and Communist Party. According to a
wish expressed by Moro during his abduction, no Italian politicians were
invited to his funeral. During the next decade, many Red Brigade leaders and
members were arrested, and the organization was greatly weakened.
Check back every
Monday for a new installment of “This Week in Crime History.”
No comments:
Post a Comment