Argentine Authorities Arrest Notorious Red Brigades Fugitive After Decades on the Run

In a significant breakthrough, Argentine police have apprehended Leonardo Bertulazzi, a fugitive wanted in Italy for nearly 44 years. Bertulazzi, now 72, was sentenced in absentia in Italy in the 1970s for his involvement in the kidnapping of Pietro Costa, a naval engineer from Genoa. The arrest follows Bertulazzi’s previous detention in 2002, when he was briefly held but later released due to complications in extradition. His refugee status, granted in 2004, was recently revoked by Argentina’s new right-wing administration under President Javier Milei.

The Red Brigades, a Marxist militant group active during the “Years of Lead,” was behind a series of high-profile kidnappings and murders, including the notorious abduction and killing of former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978. Bertulazzi’s involvement in the group’s Genoa section played a crucial role in financing the Red Brigades’ subsequent criminal activities, including the Moro case.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lauded the Argentine authorities for their role in Bertulazzi’s arrest, highlighting the successful international collaboration with Interpol and other agencies. Bertulazzi’s legal team is currently challenging his extradition through Argentina’s national commission for refugees, amidst ongoing efforts by Italian authorities to secure the return of other Red Brigades members from France.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright