In 2016, 32 house raids took place in different regions of Italy and several anarchist comrades were arrested as part of an operation called “Scripta Manent”[1]. Up to 22 comrades were under investigation in this operation. They were accused of forming or participating in an associazione sovversiva con finalità di terrorismo (criminal association with the aim of terrorism), referring to attacks claimed by the Federazione Anarchica Informale (FAI, Informal Anarchist Federation) since 2003[2]. Some of them were accused of explosive attacks carried out between 2005 and 2016. Some of them were accused of istigazione a delinquere (incitement to commit a crime) for writing in the anarchist newspaper Croce Nera Anarchica (Anarchist Black Cross) or for running radical websites.
Scripta Manent combined the contents of several previous investigations.
A first trial took place in 2017-2019, an appeal in 2020, and two further verdicts in 2022[3] and 2023[4]. The final verdict is:
- Two comrades, Anna Beniamino and Alfredo Cospito, were sentenced to 17 years and 9 months and 23 years in prison, respectively.
- 11 comrades were sentenced to prison, with sentences ranging from 1 year and 9 months to 2 years and 6 months.
- The other comrades were acquitted.
Techniques used
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Forensics | ||
| DNA | DNA evidence was used to convict Alfredo Cospito[5]. | |
| Handwriting analysis | Handwriting samples of some of the accused comrades (including notes seized during raids and letters written from prison) were compared to handwritten addresses on unexploded parcel bombs in an attempt to link the comrades to the attacks[6]. | |
| Linguistics | Texts published by some of the accused comrades were compared with action claims by the Informal Anarchist Federation, with the aim of proving that the comrades had written these claims[6]. | |
| House raid | One comrade was arrested after batteries and an electrician's manual were found in his home during a raid[7]. | |
| Targeted digital surveillance | ||
| Malware | Malware was installed on the computer of one of the accused comrades[8]. The malware, which was installed remotely over the Internet, targeted a Windows computer and was capable of recording text typed on the keyboard, taking periodic screenshots, and recording communications sent and received to and from the computer. | |