Pezzopane and Pagano targeted by neo-fascists in Abruzzo: "They wanted to kill them."

Stefania Pezzopane and Nazario Pagano are targeted by neo-fascists in Abruzzo. The former MP and city councilor from L'Aquila and the MP and regional coordinator of FI were also on the list of 14 politicians "with a high likelihood of being targeted for terrorist attacks," drawn up by the neo-fascist group Avanguardia Ordinovista, led by Stefano Manni from Ascoli and, in a leading role, Luigi Di Menno Di Bucchianico from Lanciano.

The ten members of the subversive gang, dismantled in 2014, were sentenced by the Chieti Assize Court to a total of 75 years in prison. This is stated in the reasons behind the ten convictions and five acquittals (by the Chieti Assize Court last April) that concluded the terrorism trial stemming from Operation "Black Eagle," which led to a series of arrests in December 2014.

The charges were that he was a member of the far-right association Avanguardia Ordinivista and that he promoted, formed, and organized the organization, which sought to carry out acts of violence aimed at terrorism, including international terrorism, subversion of the democratic order, and ethnic, national, racial, and religious discrimination and hatred.

The case file also includes a list seized from the home of one of the defendants, which also mentions Pezzopane, a Democratic Party senator at the time, and the current MP Pagano, then president of the Abruzzo Regional Council. According to the prosecution, the convicted defendants planned attacks to kill unescorted politicians, immigrants, and attacks on Abruzzo's railway lines, in order to cause the derailment of a passenger train and a tragedy similar to that of the Italicus train.

From Forza Italia to the Democratic Party, politicians have expressed solidarity with Stefania Pezzopane and Nazario Pagano. Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein called Stefania Pezzopane: "I reiterated that we will never take a single step back in the fight against any form of fascism, as Stefania has always done in her work serving institutions, citizens, and others." The news that Stefania Pezzopane and Nazario Pagano were among the possible targets "of a crazy subversive plan fills us with indignation and concern," observes Raffaele Nevi , national spokesperson for Forza Italia. "No institutional representative, regardless of political affiliation, should ever fear for their life because of their democratic commitment."