Just a few days ago, Foggia’s prosecutor urged its residents to react and rebel against the increased mafia intimidation. And while someone did rail against extorters, it wasn’t enough. On the contrary, crime has resurged in a matter of weeks. In a single month, there were seven attacks in Foggia. That’s one every four days. The State, in recent months, had fielded a harsh repression and the underworld responded. Even the mayor, Franco Landella, does not hide it: «She is back with arrogance to raise the shot».

All across Foggia, racketeering has spreads like wildfire: shops, homes, and restaurants have all been affected. The latest attack, which took place on Tuesday night, was a bomb at the Euronics store which caused significant damage. Video surveillance caught a hooded bomber on camera placing a parcel near the gate and lighting a fuse. The bomb took place in the Villaggio Artigiani (Village of Artisans), which hit they had hit before. Among the victims was a merchant who had the courage to report the attack to the police. Thanks to him two young people were arrested last week: They had asked for 5,000 euros on the spot plus an additional payment of 500 euros per month. The extortioners were arrested on their way to collect the money. The perpetrators were Saverio Bruno and Antonio Valerio, both convicted felons for extortion and racketeering. Saverio Bruno is the nephew of Gianfranco Bruno, one of the head honchos in Foggia’s mafia. “If you do not give me money, we’ll hurt you and your family,” or so goes the threat to shopkeepers in the neighborhood. Bombs and fires are common in the area.

On the night between January 24 and 25, a bomb was placed in the suburbs near the household goods store, Asia. A day earlier, the salon parlor Esteticamente had been hit. On the 13th, a bomb took place in front of the villa of a poultry farm owner; on the 7th, it was the perfumery Gattullò, and 2019 kicked off with two fires in the same place–the old town–on January 4 and 6.

Prosecutor Ludovico Vaccaro said this was the mafia’s way of retaliating following the antimafia blitz last November when 30 people were arrested (including the bosses Rocco Moretti, Vito Bruno Lanza and Roberto Sinesi). The blitz took place after several police and carabinieri investigations coordinated by the prosecutor’s office of Foggia and the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Bari. The prosecutor explains that people in the area are “frightened and submissive”. Meanwhile, the mafia is eager on making money and showing people in the town, who’s in charge. Everyone has to pay their dues: from entrepreneurs and traders to rigged horse racing and football teams–the entire economic and social fabric of Foggia has been spoilt. The money they extort from local businesses could be used to pay the lawyers of those arrested and, at the same time, to support their families.

Extortion varies per person or business: it can be a few hundreds of thousands of euros in one payment, or a fixed monthly fee. But these businesses persist. They don’t want to close up shop and let the fear of intimidation prevail. Grazia Placentino suffered two beatings; one in October and another a few days ago. But he reopened his shop immediately: “We are tired of living in fear”.

On the day of the last attack, the Committee for Public Ordinance and Security held a meeting in the Prefecture. “They want to tighten a noose of fear around the necks of honest workers,” said Franco Landella, Mayor of Foggia. Solidarity is with the victims of “this scourge that suffocates Foggia” along with the promise: “Our community does not intend to bend to the mafia’s will and its culture of violence.”

Source: https://www.lastampa.it/2019/02/01/...BlJXGwePosyVrdkpLmVVirpsfHvwpeVKCznYyaRI