ITALY: Angry residents speculate reasons for Brindisi school blast, which killed a teenage girl

Record ID: 357510

  • Title: ITALY: Angry residents speculate reasons for Brindisi school blast, which killed a teenage girl
  • Date: 21st May 2012
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (MAY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FLAG AT HALF MAST VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN THE STREET MAN IN STREET LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT ALESSIA D'ALESSIO SAYING: "We live in constant difficulties, right now there is a very tough political crisis and we need to see how we will react to all of this. Either with war or by placing bombs in front of
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVABEFHBVT77G9ASBJC0R9HZ3NH4
  • Story Text: Flags flew at half mast across the country on Sunday (May 20) morning as Italy sought to understand the motives behind an unprecedented school bomb attack on Saturday (May 19) morning.
    A 16-year-old girl was killed in southern Italy by the bomb that exploded in front of her school before classes on Saturday in the attack that wounded 10 others, one seriously.
    Officials initially suggested a local mafia group was the main suspect, but investigators later said the rudimentary nature of the bomb and the targeting of an all-girls secondary school did not point toward organised crime.
    There was no claim of responsibility.
    In Rome, locals who expressed disgust at the attack, sought to understand the reasons behind it and called for unity in the crisis-hit country to address the incident.
    "We live in constant difficulties, right now there is a very tough political crisis and we need to see how we will react to all of this. Either with war or by placing bombs in front of schools, or by thinking there is hope and that this can be overcome with something that is much more profound and strong," said Alessia d'Alessio.
    The explosion, near the entrance of a school named after the wife of murdered anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, happened as girls were arriving to start lessons, which in Italy also take place on Saturdays.
    Authorities said at least two gas canisters appeared to have been placed in or near rubbish containers at the school, which local media said was located near the main court in Brindisi, a port city on the "heel" of the Italian peninsula.
    "There is only confusion and that is it, I don't know what else to say. I hope that it was an act of terrorism, it would be much more acceptable than any other option," said Gabriele Leoni.
    However, pensioner Valeria Cupi said she hoped those responsible would be caught and the attack would not be seen in the more generic context of terrorism.
    "As an elderly person I have lived through various other incidents and therefore am somewhat suspicious and I wouldn't want that also in this case things to be covered up, blaming this on a vague idea of terrorism which right now might be of use to certain people," said pensioner Valeria Cupi.
    The home-made bomb, detonated with a timer, did not match past mafia-related blasts, where high explosives were set off by remote control. The attack on school children also did not fit in with the mafia's usual tactics, which were focused on fostering local support not undermining it, Brindisi mayor Mimmo Consales said on Saturday.
    Twenty years ago the Sicilian Mafia planted bombs in Milan, Florence and Rome, killing 10 people, in response to a crackdown on organised crime that had been spearheaded by Falcone and his fellow magistrate Paolo Borsellino, who was also assassinated in 1992.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register