Seven ex-terrorists of the Italian Red Brigades were detained in France. They are accused of political murders during the “lead 70s”

The French authorities have detained seven former members of the Italian left-wing organization "Red Brigades". They are accused of committing terrorist attacks in 1970-1980, according to Le Monde.

According to media reports, the names of the detainees are Marina Petrella, Giovanni Alimonti, Enzo Calvitti, Roberta Capelli, Sergi Tornaghi, Giorgio Pietrostefani and Narciso Maneti. All of them were sentenced in absentia to real terms by an Italian court.

Capelli and Petrella are sentenced to life in prison for killing a police officer in 1980. Capelli is also accused of killing a security guard and assaulting two police officers.

In addition, Petrella is accused of kidnapping an employee of the Italian Ministry of Justice, who was held hostage for more than a month in 1980.

Other detainees are also accused of murder and attempted murder.

The country's police are looking for three more suspects who are accused of organizing attacks and explosions.

At the beginning of the month, the justice ministers of France and Italy met to discuss the possibility of detaining and extraditing the convicted. The spokesman for Italy's justice minister clarified that the statute of limitations for crimes is about to expire.

Earlier, the Italian government repeatedly demanded the expulsion of ex-members of the Red Brigades, but France ignored these requests. The French interior minister told France Inter radio that the decision on extradition will be made in court.

“The government expresses its satisfaction with the decision of France to start the judicial procedures requested by the Italian side against those responsible for the gravest terrorist crimes, which have left an open wound so far,” commented on the situation. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi

In 2019, Cesare Battisti, an Italian left-wing terrorist, was extradited from Brazil. In 1979, he was convicted of involvement in the terrorist organization Proletari Armati per il Comunismo, but he escaped from prison in 1981. He was later convicted in absentia of several murders.

In 1985, former French President Francois Mitterrand issued a decree according to which former members of the Red Brigades were able to remain in the country without the risk of extradition. The decree does not apply to people who have committed violent crimes.

Members of the underground radical leftist organization "Red Brigades" operated in Italy in 1970-1980. This period was called the "lead seventies". In 1978, members of the organization kidnapped and killed Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro.