“We have captured the last killer responsible for the massacres of 1992 and 1993". With these words, the prosecutor of Palermo Maurice DeLucia opened the press conference held in the afternoon in Palermo a few hours after thearrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, captured in a clinic specializing in cancer treatment in the center of Palermo after 30 years on the run. “We are particularly proud of the work completed this morning which concludes a long and very delicate work“, he continued, emphasizing how much they have been “eavesdropping is essential. Without interceptions, Mafia investigations cannot be carried out”.
During the press conference, some details were revealed relating to the arrest of the super fugitive and the investigations coordinated by the Palermo prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia and the deputy prosecutor Paolo Guido and carried out by the forces of order.
The investigations and the details of Matteo Messina Denaro's arrest
The capture of Messina Denaro, “is a debt that the Republic owed to the victims of the mafia that we have partially paid off,” said De Lucia. "Capturing a dangerous fugitive without resorting to violence and without handcuffs is an important sign for a democratic country", he underlined, further explaining that "At the moment we have no elements to speak of complicity of the clinic staff also because the documents exhibited by the fugitive they were apparently regular, but the investigations have started now anyway".
Matteo Messina Denaro was stuck in the street, near a secondary entrance to the La Maddalena clinic in Palermo. Despite his condition, he appeared to be in good health, he was well dressed and wore a 30-35 thousand euro watch on his wrist. The carabinieri del Ros explained it, emphasizing that the blitz started when “we had the certainty that it was inside of the health facility". For some time, in fact, the investigators suspected that he had health problems such as to require treatment in hospital. The turning point came three days ago: the magistrates gave the go-ahead for the blitz. The GIS carabinieri were already at the Maddalena clinic where, for a year, Messina Denaro has been was undergoing chemotherapy. “Today's result is exquisitely investigative. In the last period there has been an acceleration through technical and investigative activities. Hence the hypothesis that he could be the fugitive. After the last checks, the certainty that it was him only arrived this morning“, said General Pasquale Angelosanto, commander of the Ros dei Carabinieri, during the press conference.
“I am Matteo Messina Denaro”
When blocked, the boss immediately revealed his true identity: “I'm Matteo Messina Denaro, he would have said. Messina Money "he did not put up any resistance” and “he immediately declared himself, without even pretending to be the person whose identity he had used”, explained the carabinieri. As mentioned, he used a false document bearing the name "Andrea Bonafede". When asked if Messina Denaro has attempted escape, investigators said they "did not see any escape attempts" although, they added, "he certainly tried to adopt safeguards once he saw the device entering the facility".
Matteo Messina Denaro "captured with the Dalla Chiesa method"
“Matteo Messina Denaro was captured thanks to the Dalla Chiesa method, that is, the collection of a great many information data from the many carabinieri departments, on the road, through telephone interceptions, state databases, from the administrative regions to lead to this morning's arrest ". This was explained by the commander of the carabinieri Teo Luzi, who arrived in Palermo. “A great satisfaction because it is an extraordinary result – he added-. Messina Denaro was a operational figure of the first order, but also from a symbolic point of view because he was one of the great protagonists of theattack on the state with massacres. Result made possible by the determination and the method used. Determination because for 30 years we have wanted to get to his capture especially in recent years with a huge use of personnel and instrumental resources".
"The fight against the Cosa Nostra continues. The circle does not close. It is a result that gives us courage, which gives us new stimuli to move forward and gives us a working method for the future, the fight against organized crime is one of the fundamental themes of all states", concluded Luzi.
The importance of interceptions
During the afternoon press conference, the Palermo prosecutor De Lucia underlined that “Without wiretapping Mafia investigations cannot be done“. "The investigation is based on two fundamental pillars - he continued - one is that of wiretaps which, if it were the case to repeat it, are indispensable and indispensable for the fight against mafia-type organized crime. Without interceptions, investigations cannot be carried out and investigations lead to no results. This is the most important thing that needs to be clear." In fact, De Lucia explained that the investigation was carried out thanks to the interceptions of friends and relatives and without the help of collaborators of justice. Thanks to listening to the conversations, the investigators learned of the fugitive's illness.
What happens now
Matteo Messina Denaro, after his arrest he was taken to Boccadifalco airport and from there he left by helicopter to a maximum security prison not known. The same thing happened to the boss Toto Riina, arrested on January 15th 30 years ago. Together with Matteo Messina, Giovanni Luppino, from Campobello di Mazara (Tp), was also arrested, accused of aiding and abetting. He allegedly accompanied the boss to the clinic for therapy.
“So far – explained the prosecutor de Lucia – he does not speak, he gave no indications, after which until this morning we didn't even know what he looked like. The most important thing right now is the capture, now we will move ”.
