“Not all the Muslims are terrorists, but all the terrorists are …”
By: Rabbi Dr Andrea Zanardo
Tags: Italy, Far Right, Islamophobia, Anni Di Piombo

In 1974 a bomb exploded in the small city where I grew up. A group of Fascists has placed it next to a market stall. It was early in the morning, a pitchman hit the package by mistake. Pieces of his brain were founded 200 meters from the place. It was really a big bomb. Had it exploded later, when the market was crowded, it would have killed tens, if not hundreds.

Fascists used bombs, in the 70s. It was all part of their plan, which is documented in details. The plan was discussed in public meetings and drew up with the help of Portuguese secrete services, and a military leader of the OAS (you know, French Algeria). To generate panic in the middle class, to make grow support for a military coup. At that time, Fascist dictators ran Spain, Portugal, Greece. The Northern shore of the Mediterranean would have been placed under Fascist control. The Catholic Church was largely on board. The CIA was not, and the plan blew up in the end, after one or two attempts to take over the Parliament and the TV State station (military forces were started moving towards Rome, then someone called them back). But there was an endless series of bombs. Some of them worked out: Milan, 1969, 17 dead, 88 wounded. Gorizia, 1972, three dead. Brescia, 1974, eight dead, one hundred seriously wounded. Etcetera. Many others did not work out, either because the bomb was uncovered, or because it exploded too early. Like that, in 1974.

The police ran investigations. They immediately uncovered a small cell of Far-Right terrorists, with no connection with the local Fascist parties. Meaning they came in that city, from three different parts of Italy, to plan and execute the attack. Which did not work out, so they were probably planning something else. They were put on trial, declared guilty and sent to prison. In court, they sang the anthem of the SS. Usual, for that folk. Not uncommon, those days. I read this detail, and it was chilling, at least for me.

Anyway, recently I did a Facebook search and I found the three willing mass murderers. One of them was the ideologist of the group. During the proceeding entertained the lawyers and the judges with long philosophical dissertations on Plato and Jung. He has spent tens of years in prison. He has a long history of militancy and has been involved in other operations of a similar kind (placing bombs here and there). He disassociated himself from Fascism, has been a supporter of the Green Party, and now of the Five Stars, Beppe Grillo’ Left-wing populist movement. The second one has been readmitted in the military, although a different force. At the time of the trial, he had just finished his required year of service, has applied for military school and was waiting for an answer. How is it possible that convicted Fascist terrorist moves so quickly from wearing a prison uniform to wearing an Army uniform, would be beyond me, but that’s Italy for you. Anyway, he is now retired after a low key career in the Italian Forest Guards. On his Facebook wall, you see photos of the birthday party of his grandchildren. Smiling babies. Nice house with a garden.

The third Fascist is still a militant. He campaigns actively against the “Muslim invasion”. His Facebook wall is all about politics. He is excited because of Donald Trump. He likes Nigel Farage. He loves Marine Le Pen. Because the Muslims are coming, we have to stop them, we have to rescue our civilisation. Bring down the UE. Let’s build a wall. Keep the Muslims out. Because we are in danger. They are too many And remember, not all the Muslims are terrorists, but (yes, he really writes so) all the terrorists are Muslims.

[9 February 2017]