Abroad

Venice The State of Terrorism

The summit meeting of Western leaders, including President Carter, scheduled to take place here next month has been threatened with terrorism by Italy’s notorious Red Brigades. But in fact Red Brigade activity has declined in recent months, and Italian authorities look forward to an effective end of an eight-year reign of senseless political violence. A major break came in February with the capture of the Brigades’ “column” leader in Turin, Patrizio Peci, the first terrorist who has been willing to cooperate with the police. As a result, many of the organization’s operations and methods have been exposed and probably neutralized. Then only the other day four Red Brigade terrorists were captured in Naples after the murder of a Christian Democratic politician. It was the first time a gang has been captured intact. Italy has lived in fear of Red Brigade activities since 1972, when kidnappings of industrialists began, the terror reaching a climax in 1978 with the murder of former Italian Premier Aldo Moro. A total of eighty assassinations were committed, most of which seemed aimed at demoralizing normal society in the country. Although the Red Brigades draw much of their inspiration from the extreme Left, labor union leaders have been victims, and even the cadres of the Italian Communist Party have not considered themselves beyond the reach of the terrorists.

Featured Tags

Venice The State of Terrorism

The summit meeting of Western leaders, including President Carter, scheduled to take place here next month has been threatened with terrorism by Italy’s notorious Red Brigades. But in fact Red Brigade activity has declined in recent months, and Italian authorities look forward to an effective end of an eight-year reign of senseless political violence. A major break came in February with the capture of the Brigades’ “column” leader in Turin, Patrizio Peci, the first terrorist who has been willing to cooperate with the police. As a result, many of the organization’s operations and methods have been exposed and probably neutralized. Then only the other day four Red Brigade terrorists were captured in Naples after the murder of a Christian Democratic politician. It was the first time a gang has been captured intact. Italy has lived in fear of Red Brigade activities since 1972, when kidnappings of industrialists began, the terror reaching a climax in 1978 with the murder of former Italian Premier Aldo Moro. A total of eighty assassinations were committed, most of which seemed aimed at demoralizing normal society in the country. Although the Red Brigades draw much of their inspiration from the extreme Left, labor union leaders have been victims, and even the cadres of the Italian Communist Party have not considered themselves beyond the reach of the terrorists.