Capaci
The Introduction of the Capaci Massacre
The Capaci Massacre was one of the most serious attacks in Italian history. On May 23, 1992, the Mafia detonated a charge of trinitrotoluene, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, and ammonium nitrate, equivalent to 500 kg of trinitrotoluene, on the A29 motorway near Capaci, Sicily, as judge Giovanni Falcone's escort was passing by. This attack resulted in the death of five people, including Falcone and his wife, Francesca Morvillo, who was also a magistrate, and injured 23 people, including Falcone's bodyguards.
Previous Attempts to Kill Falcone
The Capaci Massacre was not the only attempt to kill Falcone. After the 1983 attack on via Pipitone, which claimed the life of judge Rocco Chinnici and his bodyguards, the assassination of judge Giovanni Falcone was already planned. In 1987, Brusca planned to carry out the killing with a firearm inside the municipal swimming pool on Via Belgio in Palermo, where Falcone used to swim, but the operation was suspended. In 1989, the only concrete attempt to kill Falcone was made when a bag containing 58 explosive devices was found among the Scoglio immediately adjacent to the villa on the Palermo coast of Addaura rented by Falcone for the summer.
The Decision to Carry out the Attack
The decision to kill Falcone was made during several meetings of the interprovincial Commission of the Mafia, held near Enna between September and December 1991, and presided over by boss Salvatore Riina. During a provincial Commission meeting held in Girolamo Guddo's house, it was decided to develop a "restricted" terrorist plan, which involved the assassination of Falcone and Borsellino, as well as unreliable figures, starting with MP Salvo Lima and other Christian Democrat politicians.
The Capaci Massacre Attack
On May 23, 1992, Falcone's escort was traveling along the A29 motorway near Capaci when a car full of explosives exploded, killing Falcone, his wife, and bodyguards Vito Schifani, Rocco Dicillo, and Antonio Montinaro. The number of deaths and injuries caused by the attack was high and shocked the Italian population.
The Arrests
Following the attack, a major police operation was launched by the judiciary and police, leading to the arrest of numerous Mafia members linked to the event, including bosses Leoluca Bagarella, Nitto Santapaola, and Matteo Messina Denaro. The mastermind behind the attack, Salvatore Riina, was also arrested in 1993, along with many other prominent members of Cosa Nostra.
Conclusion
The Capaci Massacre was a tragic event that shocked the entire Italy. Falcone's murder led to the birth of an anti-Mafia movement that fought hard against the criminal organization, leading to the destruction of many Mafia clans. Today, Italy has made great strides in its fight against organized crime, but the memory of the victims of the Capaci Massacre still lives on in the hearts of Italian citizens.
