Arrests made after bomb attack targets reporter threatened by mafia

Italian constabulary connected Tuesday arrested 4 radical suspected of carrying retired an October weaponry attack targeting a salient writer who had been threatened by the mafia.

The blast successful a residential vicinity of Pomezia, astir 12 miles southbound of Rome, destroyed 2 cars belonging to Sigfrido Ranucci, known for investigations into corruption and the mafia. Ranucci had conscionable returned location astatine the time, and his girl had walked by a half-hour before, his leader said astatine the time.

Video changeable by Ranucci, who has been nether constabulary extortion since 2021 due to the fact that of his hard-hitting investigations, showed the mangled remains of the cars and the gate.

The Carabinieri constabulary said the 4 suspects detained adjacent Naples were "strongly suspected... of the offences of possessing, carrying and utilizing explosive devices successful a nationalist place, of making threats and causing damage, with aggravating circumstances owed to having acted successful a radical of much than 5 radical and utilizing mafia-style methods." 

Three of them person been placed successful pre-trial detention and the 4th is nether location arrest.

This representation released by investigative writer Sigfrido Ranucci shows his destroyed car, left, extracurricular his location aft an explosive instrumentality detonated beneath it, successful Pomezia, adjacent Rome, Italy, connected Oct. 16, 2025.  Sigfrido Ranucci/AP

Ranucci, the big of investigative programme "Report" connected the Rai 3 nationalist TV station, told the ANSA quality bureau the time aft the onslaught that helium had received "an endless database of threats."

Report posted a video connected societal media Tuesday showing the suspects being arrested.

"The probe continues to scope the masterminds," Report wrote successful a station connected X.

The probe into the blast, handled by the anti-mafia prosecutor's bureau successful Rome, has been "particularly complex," the Carabinieri said successful its statement. It progressive adjacent introspection of video surveillance systems and telephone records, arsenic good arsenic technological investigation of the explosive device.

The weaponry squad are believed to person acted connected orders from "third parties, who person not yet been identified," the connection said.

"The masterminds tried to supply enactment to support the alleged perpetrators, supplying them with funds, dedicated telephone cards, ineligible assistance, and readying their imaginable flight abroad," the connection said.

Sigfrido Ranucci, Italian writer of investigative tv quality amusement "Report," waves to supporters from a balcony of Italian TV broadcaster RAI successful Rome connected Oct. 17, 2025.  TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

The detonation targeting Ranucci occurred connected the eighth day of the car weaponry slaying of Maltese investigative writer Daphne Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively astir suspected corruption successful governmental and concern circles. Like Ranucci, she had faced dozens of libel suits intended to soundlessness her reporting. 

According to the run radical Reporters Without Borders, Italy ranks 56th successful the satellite for property freedom.

In:

• Organized Crime
• Italy