andy bell

After the fascist outrage at Bologna railway station on this day in 1980, members of the group responsible fled to the UK where they were sheltered and grew rich…

As we remember the 85 people, including two British students, murdered on 2 August 1980 by the Italian fascist NAR (Armed Revolutionary Nucleii) who planted a bomb in the railway station at Bologna, let’s also remember that in the wake of the attack, other NAR members fled to the UK where they were safehoused by members of the neo-Nazi League of St George – specifically, Mike Griffin, Keith Thompson and Steve Brady.

Let’s also remember that one of those sheltered was Alissandro Alibrandi, an NAR member responsible for at least one political murder before NAR was even formed. In 1976, in Rome, he shot Walter Rossi, a left-wing student. Then, after joining NAR in late 1977 or early 1978 he murdered Roberto Scialabba, a member of the far-left group Lotta Continua.

Wanted killer Alessandro Alibrandi

Let’s remember that he was suspected of being involved in the assassination of Judge Mario Amato, an investigating magistrate leading an enquiry into the far right who, in March 1980, had issued a warrant for Alibrandi’s arrest. Amato’s predecessor Judge Vittorio Occorsio had been murdered by fascists and Amato was to follow him, gunned down at a bus stop by Alibrandi’s NAR comrades Gilberto Cavallini and Luigi Ciavardini. Alibrandi was thought to have been involved in a backup role.

And let’s remember that Alibrandi, and other fugitives, were feted as heroes at a League of St George meeting at the Oak Tree Tavern, in Acton, west London, in February 1981.

Let’s also remember that despite being convicted, in absentia, of terrorism related offences, these fascist fugitives were allowed to remain at liberty for years in the UK, where two of them, Roberto Fiore and Massimo Morsello, became millionaires running dodgy accommodation and employment agencies and helped engineer a takeover of the National Front by the Strasserite ‘political soldier’ faction.

Let’s remember that in the UK Fiore was untouchable because he had done a deal with MI6 – trading information about right wing fascists in the Lebanon whom he had trained with.

Roberto Fiore, footloose in London, posing in Downing St, September 1983

Let’s also remember that with the millions made in this country, Roberto Fiore was able to go back to Italy on the expiry of his prison sentence and launch the fascist Forza Nueva party, which he now leads.

Let’s also remember that French and British neo-nazis plotted a similar outrage in this country in August 1981, with a suitcase bomb attack on the Notting Hill Carnival which was only thwarted because Searchlight informer Ray Hill had infiltrated the groups planning it.

Ray Hill with French nazi involved in Notting Hill bomb plot

Let’s also remember that the main British nazi involved, Tony Malski of the National Socialist Action Party, was merely warned off by Special Branch as he travelled to France to collect detonators when he could have been arrested carrying them on his return. And that, despite being recorded admitting his role in the plot for C4’s The Other Face of Terror, he was never even interviewed by police about the matter.

Tony Malski

And let’s never forget that we would know little of this stuff were it not for the likes of Ray Hill and ‘Malcolm’ and later Matthew Collins, Tim Hepple, Darren Wells, Duncan Robertson, ‘Arthur’ ‘ and others who still can’t be named who, with extraordinary courage, have defected from or infiltrated the ranks of the extremists over years to help expose and thwart their plans.