In 2019, three anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Prometeo”[1]. They were accused of sending parcel bombs to prosecutors and a director of the prison administration in 2017. One of the comrades was also accused of carrying out an arson attack on an ATM in 2016.
In 2021, the comrade accused of the ATM arson was sentenced to 5 years in prison, while all the comrades were acquitted (for lack of evidence[2]) for the parcel bombs, although one of them had spent two and a half years in prison before being acquitted.
Techniques used
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Service provider collaboration | Investigators distorted conversations obtained through phone interception to make them look suspicious[3]. During a phone conversation involving one of the accused comrades, the phrase “tutta questa tensione sociale prima o poi scoppierà” (“all this social tension will, sooner or later, explode”) was said, which was only partially transcribed in the investigation files as “prima o poi scoppierà” (“will, sooner or later, explode”). | |
| Forensics | ||
| DNA | DNA traces were used to convict the comrade accused of burning an ATM[4]. | |
| Mass surveillance | ||
| Video surveillance | According to the investigation files, two of the accused comrades were seen on a video surveillance camera leaving a store where investigators believe the envelopes used to prepare the parcel bombs were purchased[3]. | |