The Gela Mafia in September 1998 started to penetrate the sport world and the Eni chemical plant, trying to control the local football team and the Cns, one of the consortia linked to the Lega delle Cooperative, a “service centre” that included some cooperative companies that worked in the plant. But the president of the time, engineer Fabrizio Lisciandra who was also a town councillor and an executive of the football team Juveterranova, refused to resign and work with boss Daniele Emmanuello, who ordered to have him killed. Fortunately the killer’s weapon conked out and only Lisciandra’s leg was wounded. After 12 years the police identified the perpetrators of the ambush, arresting last night seven people on the orders of the judge for the preliminary investigation of Caltanissetta, Gianbattista Tona. The people arrested are accused of Mafia association, attempted murder, extortion, damage and robbery. Amongst the people arrested there is also a doctor, accused of Mafia association. The operation was called “Leonina Societas”. Some of the defendants also attacked, hit and robbed 15 million Liras from an entrepreneur.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute