This report courtesy of the Daily Telegraph 17^th January 1997

TWO suspects have been acquitted of the murder of a seven-year-old American boy in a motorway robbery in Italy more than two years ago.

Michele Iannello, 28, and Francesco Mesiano, 23, were acquitted of murdering Nicholas Green by the Court of Assizes in Catanzaro, Calabria, yesterday after the court spent five hours considering its verdict.

The prosecution had asked for 23 years imprisonment for each man. Shortly after being arrested, Iannello admitted a string of murders, although he continued to deny that he and Mesiano had taken part in the attack on the Green family just south of Naples.

Nicholas Green was shot by two would-be robbers, who pulled alongside the hired Y10 Lancia in which he was travelling to Sicily with his father, Reginald, who was driving, his mother, Margaret, and his sister Eleanor, who was then four. One of the shots fired by the thieves hit Nicholas in the back of the neck as Mr Green tried to drive away. He died in hospital on Oct 1, never having regained consciousness. Neither of Nicholas's parents realised that he had been hurt until they stopped farther along the motorway.

Yesterday, Mr Green, a British journalist who now lives in California, where he has built a monument to his murdered son and whose wife has now given birth to twins, was stoical after the verdict. "I always said that we wanted justice," he said. "Since this case began, we have witnessed correct behaviour by the court, which has been extremely scrupulous. The court has now delivered its judgment."

After the not guilty verdict, Mesiano shook Mr Green's hand. "If the judges acquitted you," Mr Green said, "it means that what you said at the trial was true."

Mesiano told reporters: "Finally, a nightmare is over. I've been waiting a long time to shake his hand, but I could never pluck up the courage."

This report courtesy of the Daily Telegraph 4^th June 1998

Policemen 'worked as bodyguards for Mafia'
By Bruce Johnston

EIGHT Naples policemen have been arrested for moonlighting for the Mafia, Italian newspapers reported yesterday.

Among those arrested are several inspectors and a Carabiniere vice-brigadier who have been accused of acting as bodyguards for the Mafia boss Luigi Giuliano. The men were among 17 arrested in an operation against the Giuliano family in the city's central Forcella neighbourhood, and those of allied bosses Raffaele Stolder and Giuseppe Missi.

Police said they were acting on information from three supergrasses, including Stolder's brother Salvatore. Another 10 people were still being sought.

According to investigators, the eight were paid up to £400 a week by the Camorra, or Naples Mafia, and were given gifts of gold, jewellery and cocaine. Their alleged work for the Mob included providing confidential information to bosses, omitting patrols in certain parts of town, failing to carry out searches, and the release of detainees.

But they allegedly also covered other roles, such as protecting Giuliano and his wife Carmela when they went on holiday to the isle of Ischia, and acting as bodyguards for their 20th wedding anniversary celebrations. On the holiday, two of the policemen allegedly sat with the couple in their limousine, their Uzi sub-machineguns and police issue handguns at the ready.

In the 190-page inquiry, the name of Padre Franco Rapullino, the anti-Mafia priest of Giuliano's parish, is also mentioned, for allegedly visiting the boss and "receiving gifts."

One of the supergrasses, Massimo Ercora, said he saw Padre Rapullino "many times" at the mobster's home. He said: "When he came he and Don Luigi would would slip away to a room together, and talk for hours."

Ercora said the priest was close to the Don and celebrated his wedding anniversary service in July 1991. The priest is also said to have "received many presents in the form of money for his church." Ercora said: "I've seen him driving round in a red Y10 Lancia, which I was told was a gift from Don Luigino."

Brazen lies," was the priest's furious reply. "I bought the car secondhand. It had belonged to a young man in my parish. I went many times to exercise my ministry at the home of Luigi Giuliano, who said he had embarked on the road to conversion."