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Years of Lead (Italy)
Part of the Cold War
Stragedibologna-2.jpg
Aftermath of the bombing at the Bologna railway station in August 1980 which killed 85 people, the deadliest event during the Years of Lead
DateLate 1968 – mid 1988 (20 years)
Resurgence from 1999 – 2005 (6 years)
Location
Italy (mainly Northern Italy)
Result

Eventual decrease of terrorist activity in Italy:

  • The murder of Aldo Moro (1978) resulted in a collapse of popular support for the Red Brigades
  • The Bologna massacre (1980) led to the dismantling of the main far-right terrorist groups
  • The Propaganda Due affair (1981) caused the decline of secret circles for several years
Belligerents

ItalyItalian Government

  • Civil Ensign of Italy.svg SISDE
  • Stemma araldico e distintivo dello Stato Maggiore Difesa.svg Armed Forces
  • Coat of arms of the Carabinieri.svg Carabinieri
  • Stemma della Polizia di Stato.svg Polizia di Stato

Supported by:

  • Gladio
  • CIA

Far-left terrorists:

  • Flag of the Brigate Rosse.svg Red Brigades (1970–1988)
  • Front Line (1976–1981)
  • October 22 Group (1969–1971)
  • PAC (1976–1979)
  • Continuous Struggle (1969–1976)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Workers' Power (1967–1973)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Workers' Autonomy (1973–1979)

Supported by:

  • StB[better source needed]
  • Palestine Liberation OrganizationPLO[better source needed]
  • KGB
  • Libya
  • UDBA[better source needed]

Far-right terrorists:

  • Flag of Ordine Nuovo.svg New Order (1957–1973)
  • Flag of National Vanguard.svg National Vanguard (1960–1976)
  • Black Order (1974–1978)
  • Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg NAR (1977–1981)
  • Logo of Third Position.png Third Position (1978–1982)

Supported by:

  • Masonic SquareCompassesG.svg P2 Masonic Lodge
  • Civil Ensign of Italy.svg SISMI
  • Flag of Rome.svg Magliana Gang
  • CIA (alleged)
Commanders and leaders
  • Giulio Andreotti
  • Aldo Moro  Executed
  • Francesco Cossiga
  • Mariano Rumor
  • Franco Restivo
  • Emilio Colombo
  • Virginio Rognoni
  • Arnaldo Forlani
  • Flag of the Brigate Rosse.svg Renato Curcio (imprisoned)
  • Flag of the Brigate Rosse.svg Margherita Cagol 
  • Flag of the Brigate Rosse.svg Alberto Franceschini(imprisoned)
  • Marco Donat-Cattin (imprisoned)
  • Mario Rossi [it](imprisoned)
  • Giangiacomo Feltrinelli 
  • Cesare Battisti (imprisoned)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Adriano Sofri (imprisoned)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Franco Piperno (fled Italy)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Antonio Negri (imprisoned)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Oreste Scalzone (fled Italy)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Lanfranco Pace [it](fled Italy)
  • Anarchist flag.svg Emilio Vesce [arz; it](acquitted)
  • Flag of Ordine Nuovo.svg Franco Freda (acquitted)
  • Flag of Ordine Nuovo.svg Pierluigi Concutelli (imprisoned)
  • Flag of Ordine Nuovo.svg Mario Tuti [it](imprisoned)
  • Flag of National Vanguard.svg Stefano Delle Chiaie(acquitted)
  • Flag of National Vanguard.svg Adriano Tilgher (acquitted)
  • Flag of National Vanguard.svg Vincenzo Vinciguerra(imprisoned)
  • Fabrizio Zani [it](imprisoned)
  • Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg Valerio Fioravanti (imprisoned)
  • Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg Alessandro Alibrandi 
  • Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg Massimo Carminati (imprisoned)
  • Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg Franco Anselmi 
  • Roberto Fiore (fled Italy)
  • Gabriele Adinolfi (fled Italy)
Units involved

Stemma araldico e distintivo dello Stato Maggiore Difesa.svg Armed Forces: +90,000 soldiers (1973)

NATOGladio: 622 members

Flag of the Brigate Rosse.svg BR: Several hundred active members
PL: 1,072 members & collaborators
O22: 25 members
PAC: 60 militants

Anarchist flag.svg AO: 200 members

Flag of Ordine Nuovo.svg Ordine Nuovo: 10,000
Flag of National Vanguard.svg National Vanguard: 600-2,000 members at varying times
Flag of Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari.svg NAR: 53 members

Terza Posizione: 42
Total deaths (inc. civilians): 428 + circa 2,000 physical & psychological injuries