New threatening letters have been sent to Maurizio Patriciello, the parish priest who has been a symbol of the fight for legality at Caivano's Parco Verde.
The intimidating messages didn't just target the priest: recipients of the same letters are also said to be Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and journalist Marco Cappellari, author of several articles dedicated to the priest's anti-Camorra work.
The letters, with similar content, appear to be linked to a single source. This disturbing signal rekindles the spotlight on the tense climate surrounding the priest, who for years has been on the front lines fighting the criminal system entrenched in Parco Verde.
The Government's intervention and the meeting at the Prefecture
Informed of the incident, Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council Alfredo Mantovano had a telephone conversation with the Prefect of Naples, Michele di Bari.
A technical coordination meeting of the police forces has been immediately convened for tomorrow in Caivano to define further protective measures for the parish priest. On the judicial front, the Prosecutor's Offices of North Naples and Rome have opened investigations to identify the perpetrators of the intimidation and reconstruct the origin of the letters.
The precedent: the bullet delivered during the mass
This isn't the first time Father Patriciello has been targeted. Only at the end of September was the priest the target of an even more egregious act: a bullet delivered to him in church, during children's mass, at the moment of communion.
The person who delivered the bullet casing, wrapped in a handkerchief, was Vittorio De Luca, 75, believed to be close to the Ciccarelli criminal gang, which dominated Parco Verde. De Luca is the father-in-law of Domenico Ciccarelli, a prisoner considered a key figure in the group.
Even then, there was solidarity from the institutions and a series of police raids. De Luca was arrested and subsequently banned from living in Caivano. He currently lives in the Caserta area and is monitored with an electronic bracelet.
Trial requested for the boss's father-in-law
Vittorio De Luca has now been sent to trial. The Prosecutor's Office is challenging the serious act of intimidation committed in a symbolic location and in front of dozens of children, an act that deeply shocked the community.
The new letters reopen a scenario already marked by tension and intimidation. This escalation confirms that Don Patriciello continues to be a target for those who see his pastoral and civic work as a threat to the criminal balance in the area.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's worrying that Don Patriciello continues to receive threatening letters, which means things aren't improving. The parish priest's presence is important to the community; I hope the authorities act quickly to protect him.