Italy: Lecce anarchists sentenced to years in prison

from email, July 21 2007: On July 12th 2007, the sentences were announced in the first degree of the “Operation Nighttime” trial against the anarchists of Lecce and the province.

They were acquitted of “subversive association” but four companions were convicted of “association to commit a crime”.

Salvatore was sentenced to 5 years in prison because he’s considered the leader of the association. Saverio and Cristian, considered to be participants in the association, were condemned to 3 years. Marina, also considered to be a participant, was sentenced to 1 year and 10 months.

The same companions were also convicted for specific offenses: damaging Esso gas pumps, squatting the “Capolinea”, unauthorized demonstrations, violence to a public official, instigating detained immigrants to commit a crime, writing on a wall, defamation, telephone threats to the former director of the San Foca immigrant detention center (Cesare Lodeserto), and threats towards two medics that had edited some documents to cover-up violence by Lodeserto and carabinieri (paramilitary police) against immigrants who tried to escape. Lodeserto was awarded thousands of Euros for the threats while one of the medics received 50,000 Euros for defamation.

Other companions were sentenced for some offenses. Sandro to 1 year, Massimo to 4 months, and Laura to a 100 Euro fine. Another 8 anarchists were acquitted entirely. Acquittals were made on the charges of setting fire to the main entrance of the Cathedral of Lecce and for the damages against some automatic bank machines of Banca Intesa that held the funds of the "Regina Pacis" immigrant detention center in San Foca. The defense will make an appeal.

Translated from a text by anarchists in Italy
http://liberisubito.splinder.com/

Italy: Lecce Defendants Update
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070708163333779

Repression of Anarchists in Italy
http://www.geocities.com/insurrectionary_anarchists/repression.html

Times of War
http://digilander.libero.it/tempidiguerra/

Guerra Sociale
http://digilander.libero.it/guerrasociale.org/

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