Prospero Gallinari
Encyclopedia
Prospero Gallinari is an Italian terrorist, a member of the Red Brigades
in the 1970s and 1980s.
, into a family of Communist
tradition. At a very young age, he entered the Federazione Giovanile Comunista Italiana, in which he remained until the late 1960s.
In 1969, together with Alberto Franceschini
and other former Communists militants, he decided to adhere to armed terrorism. After a short period as a member of the Superclan (a mostly unknown organization formed by Corrado Simioni which was later accused to be the political masterming of the Red Brigades
, or BR, during Mario Moretti
's leadership), Gallinari became a member of the Red Brigades, initially as an external collaborator, then as a full clandestine member (1973-1974).
In 1974 he took part in the kidnapping of judge Mario Sossi, but after a while he was arrested in Turin
, together with Alfred Bonavita. In 1976 he escaped from the prison of Treviso
. He thenceforth belonged to the Roman "column" of the BR, and had a relevant role in the kidnapping of Aldo Moro
, a Christian Democratic former prime minister of Italy (March 1978). Gallinari was one of the killers who ambushed the politician's escort in Via Fani in Rome
, assassinating three guardsmen in an Alfetta car. Moro was subsequently killed in obscure circumstances in the following May. According to the official trial reconstructions, Gallinari stayed in the BR's base where Moro was detained for 55 days, along with Moretti, Anna Laura Braghetti and Germano Maccari.
Gallinari was arrested on 24 September 1979 while changing plates to cars which would be used a few time after in a fire action. During his detainment, Gallinari was one of the few BR terrorists who did not collaborate with the Italian justice. Instead, he continued to have contacts with the organization's free members and indirectly participated to their political debates.
In the October 1988, after the great part of the terrorist formation had been arrested, he co-signed a document in which he declared the end of the BR activities. Due to health concerns (connected to the wounds he received during his arrest in 1979), Gallinari obtained a semi-liberty regime. In March 2006 he published an autobiographical book (entitled Un contadino nella Metropoli, "A countryman in the Metropolis"), providing his own version about the Red Brigades deeds.
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
in the 1970s and 1980s.
Biography
Gallinari was born at Reggio EmiliaReggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
, into a family of Communist
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
tradition. At a very young age, he entered the Federazione Giovanile Comunista Italiana, in which he remained until the late 1960s.
In 1969, together with Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini
Alberto Franceschini was a founder and leading member of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades , along with Renato Curcio, Margherita Cagol and Mario Moretti....
and other former Communists militants, he decided to adhere to armed terrorism. After a short period as a member of the Superclan (a mostly unknown organization formed by Corrado Simioni which was later accused to be the political masterming of the Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
, or BR, during Mario Moretti
Mario Moretti
Mario Moretti is an Italian former terrorist. A leading member of the Red Brigades in the late 1970s, he was one of the kidnappers of Aldo Moro, president of Italy's largest party, Democrazia Cristiana, and several times premier, in 1978; he later confessed to have been the one who killed the...
's leadership), Gallinari became a member of the Red Brigades, initially as an external collaborator, then as a full clandestine member (1973-1974).
In 1974 he took part in the kidnapping of judge Mario Sossi, but after a while he was arrested in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, together with Alfred Bonavita. In 1976 he escaped from the prison of Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
. He thenceforth belonged to the Roman "column" of the BR, and had a relevant role in the kidnapping of Aldo Moro
Kidnapping of Aldo Moro
The kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro was a seminal event in Italian political history.On the morning of 16 March 1978, the day in which the new cabinet led by Giulio Andreotti would undergo the confidence vote at the Italian Parliament, the car of Aldo Moro, former prime minister and then...
, a Christian Democratic former prime minister of Italy (March 1978). Gallinari was one of the killers who ambushed the politician's escort in Via Fani in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, assassinating three guardsmen in an Alfetta car. Moro was subsequently killed in obscure circumstances in the following May. According to the official trial reconstructions, Gallinari stayed in the BR's base where Moro was detained for 55 days, along with Moretti, Anna Laura Braghetti and Germano Maccari.
Gallinari was arrested on 24 September 1979 while changing plates to cars which would be used a few time after in a fire action. During his detainment, Gallinari was one of the few BR terrorists who did not collaborate with the Italian justice. Instead, he continued to have contacts with the organization's free members and indirectly participated to their political debates.
In the October 1988, after the great part of the terrorist formation had been arrested, he co-signed a document in which he declared the end of the BR activities. Due to health concerns (connected to the wounds he received during his arrest in 1979), Gallinari obtained a semi-liberty regime. In March 2006 he published an autobiographical book (entitled Un contadino nella Metropoli, "A countryman in the Metropolis"), providing his own version about the Red Brigades deeds.