Italian President Giorgio Napolitano gave evidence Tuesday at a landmark trial in which state officials are accused of making a secret deal with the Mafia in the 1990s. The 89-year-old head of state, who is not accused of playing a role in the deal, took the stand as prosecutors attempt to unearth fresh evidence on mob bombings two decades ago which killed 21 people including two top anti-Mafia judges.
High-ranking ministers are suspected of having negotiated with the Sicilian Mafia to end the violence which shook Florence, Milan and Rome in exchange for softer jail sentences and better conditions in prison for convicted mobsters. The trial is being held in Palermo but moved to the presidential palace in Rome to hear Napolitano's testimony, which was given behind closed doors.
Lawyers emerging from the three-hour session gave conflicting versions of what the president had said. His office confirmed he had "answered all the questions" put to him and called on the court to publish the transcript of the session as soon as possible. "Napolitano said that, at the time, he had no knowledge of deals" between the state and the Mafia, Palermo lawyer Giovanni Airo Farulla told journalists outside the palace. The president was called as a witness after phone taps revealed former interior minister Nicola Mancino had made four calls to Napolitano in which he purportedly complained about the prosecutors and asked him to help him out.
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