San Luca feud

The two involved clans, the Strangio-Nirta and Pelle-Vottari-Romeo families, both belong to the 'Ndrangheta crime organization. During a fight at a carnival celebration in 1991 two young men from Strangio-Nirta were killed, leading to a series of feuds.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6949274.stm A mafia family feud spills over], BBC News, August 16, 2007 In May 1993, four people were killed in an hour.{{in lang|it}} [http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1993/maggio/03/San_Luca_strage_due_atti_co_0_9305038934.shtml San Luca, strage in due atti], Corriere della Sera, May 3, 1993 Shortly thereafter, the old patriarch Antonio Nirta imposed a peace with the help of the De Stefano clan from Reggio Calabria, which held for some time.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/2007/08/sezioni/esteri/duisburg-2/boss-rifiuta-tregua/boss-rifiuta-tregua.html E il boss rifiutò la tregua], La Repubblica, August 19, 2007{{in lang|it}} [http://www.gazzettadelsud.it/NotiziaArchivio.aspx?art=16866&Edizione=7&A=20100128 Faida, la pax targata Di Stefano], Gazzetta del Sud, January 28, 2010 A truce was called in 2000.

The feud resumed after an honour killing on 5 January 2005.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/02/29/news/donne_ndrangheta_8_marzo-30721686/ Lea, Concetta, Giuseppina è l'8 marzo della Calabria], La Repubblica, February 29, 2012 Domenico Giorgi of the Strangio-Nirta clan killed Salvatore Favasuli, a relative of the Pelle-Vottari clan, for having threatened Giorgi's girlfriend. Giorgi fled to Piedmont, but the family of Favasuli killed his brother Antonio Giorgi. The Strangio-Nirta clan reacted by shooting Francesco Pelle, "Ciccio Pakistan", while on the balcony with his newborn child. A bullet entered his back and he remained paralyzed. From his wheelchair he claimed revenge, and on Christmas Day, December 25, 2006, they attacked the house of a boss of the rival Strangio-Nirta clan, Giovanni Luca Nirta, killing his wife Maria Strangio. At the funeral of Maria Strangio, her cousin Giovanni Strangio appeared with gun, presumably to kill members of the Pelle-Romeo clan. He was arrested and released in July 2007. Until August 2007, five more murders and eight attempted murders in Calabria were attributed to the feud.

During the reconstruction of Christmas attack at the trial in 2011, the prosecution said that there was a "state of war" between the two clans. Evidence collected by phone taps, interceptions and declarations of turncoats (pentito) showed that the instigator of the attack was Francesco Pelle, also known as 'Ciccio Pakistan', while the order came from Franco Vottari. Among the perpetrators of the crime, was Sebastiano Vottari, a brother of Franco.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/content/view/34504/48/ Processo Duisburg: Pm; A San Luca c'era uno stato di guerra fredda] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606164543/http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/content/view/34504/48/ |date=2011-06-06 }}, Antimafia duemila, June 3, 2011

{{Infobox civilian attack

|title=Duisburg massacre

|image=

|caption=Two of the victims of the shootout between rival 'Ndrangheta clans in Duisburg

|location=Outside the Da Bruno restaurant in Duisburg.

|target=Members of the Pelle-Vottari-Romeo 'Ndrangheta clans

|date=15 August 2007

|time=

|timezone=

|type=Massacre

|fatalities=Six killed

|perps='Ndrangheta hit squad of the Strangio-Nirta clan, composed of Giovanni Strangio and Giuseppe Nirta.

}}

Image:Marco Marmo.jpg

The conflict then received significant new public attention on 15 August 2007 when six Italian men belonging to the Pelle-Romeo clan were shot dead in their cars in front of a pizzeria near the train station of Duisburg in western Germany.{{Cite news |date=15 August 200 |title=How the tentacles of the Calabrian Mafia spread from Italy |url=https://www.thetimes.com/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=The Times & The Sunday Times |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2007-08-15 |title=The 'Vendetta of San Luca' in Duisburg: A Deadly Mafia Export from Italy |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-vendetta-of-san-luca-in-duisburg-a-deadly-mafia-export-from-italy-a-500016.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=Der Spiegel |language=en |issn=2195-1349}} One of the killed men, Marco Marmo, was seen as responsible for the murder of Maria Strangio. It is believed that the men had moved to Germany to escape the feud. Giovanni Strangio was identified as one of the two gunmen who fired more than 70 shots.{{Cite news |date=2007-08-31 |title=Duisburger Mafia-Mord: Haftbefehl gegen Giovanni Strangio erlassen |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/duisburger-mafia-mord-haftbefehl-gegen-giovanni-strangio-erlassen-a-503277.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}{{Cite web |title=Strage Duisburg, la polizia tedesca accusa "Giovanni Strangio tra i responsabili" - cronaca - Repubblica.it |url=https://www.repubblica.it/2007/08/sezioni/cronaca/massacro-duisburg/giovanni-strangio/giovanni-strangio.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=www.repubblica.it}} The second gunman is believed to be Strangio's brother-in-law Giuseppe Nirta (born in 1973), also wanted for international cocaine trafficking.[http://www.focus.de/panorama/welt/mafia-morde-spur-nach-belgien_aid_263595.html Spur nach Belgien], Focus, March 3, 2008{{Cite news |date=2008-03-03 |title=Duisburger Mafia-Morde: Ermittler haben zweiten Killer im Visier |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/duisburger-mafia-morde-ermittler-haben-zweiten-killer-im-visier-a-539093.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}{{Cite web |title=Duisburg, individuato l'altro killer Traffico di coca Per�-Calabria - cronaca - Repubblica.it |url=https://www.repubblica.it/2008/03/sezioni/cronaca/duisburg/duisburg/duisburg.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=www.repubblica.it}}

In Germany, the massacre instigated the mafianeindanke movement, inspired by the example of the anti-Mafia movement Addiopizzo in Sicily.{{in lang|de}} [https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article1123359/Die_Mafia_als_Imageproblem_der_Restaurants.html Die Mafia als Imageproblem der Restaurants], Die Welt, August 21, 2007[http://www.garavini.eu/?page_id=488 The story of Mafia? Nein danke!], Laura Garavini website

A massacre of this size had been unprecedented in the history of the 'Ndrangheta. Italian police drastically heightened security measures in San Luca as a result, and arrested over 30 'Ndrangheta members, including Giovanni Luca Nirta.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/2007/08/sezioni/cronaca/massacro-duisburg/arresti-san-luca/arresti-san-luca.html Strage Duisburg, San Luca sotto assedio: trentadue persone fermate per la faida], La Repubblica, August 30, 2007 Nirta's rival Francesco Vottari was arrested on 12 October 2007.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/2007/08/sezioni/cronaca/massacro-duisburg/arrestato-vottari/arrestato-vottari.html Strage di Duisburg, arrestato il boss Francesco Vottari], La Repubblica, October 12, 2007 German and Italian police cooperated, and four members of the Strangio-Nirta clan were arrested in December 2007; the main suspect of the shooting, Giovanni Strangio, was however able to escape.{{in lang|de}} [http://www.sueddeutsche.de/,tt6m1/panorama/artikel/320/148964/ Razzia in San Luca]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, December 18, 2007 The head of the Strangio-Nirta clan, Giuseppe Nirta was arrested on 23 May 2008[https://archive.today/20130105161818/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/italianamericansunite/message/5449 San Luca clan chief caught], ANSA, May 23, 2008 and his son and successor Paolo Nirta (a cousin of Giovanni Strangio) on August 7, 2008.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7547139.stm Italy arrest over Mafia killing], BBC News, August 7, 2008{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/2008/06/sezioni/cronaca/ndrangheta-3/preso-latitante-sanluca/preso-latitante-sanluca.html 'Ndrangheta, arrestato a San Luca cognato del killer di Duisburg], La Repubblica, August 7, 2008

Police concluded from telephone surveillance that the 'Ndrangheta clan bosses had negotiated a cease fire near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi in Aspromonte, a traditional meeting place of the 'Ndrangheta. According to prosecutor Nicola Gratteri the elite bosses of the 'Ndrangheta imposed a peace directly after the Duisburg massacre.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.melitoonline.it/index.php/home/Regionale/Cronaca/Strage-di-Duisburg-un-anno-dopo-analisi-di-Nicola-Gratteri Strage di Duisburg, un anno dopo: analisi di Nicola Gratteri] {{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ANSA, August 9, 2008

On 12 March 2009, Dutch police arrested Giovanni Strangio and his brother-in-law, Francesco Romeo, in an apartment in Diemen near Amsterdam, after German police learned that they were hiding there by following clues found in Nirta's flat after his arrest.{{in lang|de}} [http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/0,1518,613192,00.html "Feinstaubplakette verriet mutmaßlichen Mafia-Killer"], Spiegel Online, March 13, 2009[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/13/mafia-arrest-amsterdam Alleged mafia kingpin arrested in Amsterdam over gangland massacre], The Guardian, March 13, 2009 On 11 February 2010, police arrested Sebastiano Nirta in San Luca suspected of being Strangio's accomplices in the Duisburg killings. The jailed Giuseppe Nirta received an additional arrest warrant. Both were charged on the basis of DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene.[http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=3.1.252460076 Italy: Alleged mafia killer goes on trial for German massacre], AdnKronos, April 14, 2010{{in lang|it}} [http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/content/view/27344/48/ Strage Duisburg, oggi via al processo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707154726/http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/content/view/27344/48/ |date=2011-07-07 }}, ANSA, April 14, 2010{{in lang|de}} [http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/0,1518,677387,00.html Polizei nimmt dritten Täter fest], Der Spiegel, February 11, 2010

The trial against the killers started on 14 April 2010, in Locri. Strangio followed the hearing via video link to his prison cell in Rome.{{in lang|de}} [http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/0,1518,689013,00.html Mutmaßlicher Drahtzieher steht vor Gericht], Der Spiegel, April 14, 2010 On 12 July 2011, the Criminal Court in Locri sentenced eight people to life imprisonment for their roles in a violent feud, including Giovanni Strangio, Gianluca Nirta, Francesco Nirta (37), Giuseppe Nirta, known as 'Peppe u versu' (71), Francesco Pelle, known as 'Ciccio Pakistan' (34), Sebastiano Romeo (34), Francesco Vottari known as 'Ciccio u Frunzu' (40) and Sebastiano Vottari, known as 'il Professore' (28). Three other people were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from nine to 12 years, while three more were acquitted.{{in lang|it}} [http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2011/07/12/news/sentenza_duisburg-19014294 Strage di Duisburg, verdetto di primo grado ergastolo a Giovanni Strangio e altri sette], La Repubblica, July 12, 2011[http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2011/07/12/italy_mastermind_convicted_in_duisburg_massacre/ Italians convicted in Duisburg mob massacre], The Associated press, July 12, 2011{{in lang|de}} [http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,773939,00.html Mafiamorde von Duisburg: Gericht verurteilt Haupttäter zu lebenslanger Haft], Der Spiegel, July 12, 2011

Antonio Pelle, also known as Ntoni Gambazza, the patriarch of the San Luca locale and the 'Ndrangheta capo crimine, the titular head of the organisation, tried in every way to end the feud and make peace. However, he was only able to secure that the section of the clan he headed ("Pelle-Gambazza") was not involved in the feud that affected another element of the clan ("Pelle-Vanchelli").{{in lang|it}} [http://www.stopndrangheta.it/file/stopndrangheta_629.pdf Morto Antonio Pelle, "patriarca" di San Luca], Gazzetta del Sud, November 5, 2009

Notwithstanding his non-involvement in the facts, Antonio Pelle was indirectly involved through his son-in-law, Francesco Vottari, one the protagonists among disputing clans, who is married to his daughter Maria Pelle.[http://gnosis.aisi.gov.it/Gnosis/Rivista12.nsf/ServNavigE/13 Ancient feuds and new crimes], Gnosis Nr. 3, 2007 In order to underline his non-involvement in the feud, he asked family members to send a letter to the Gazzetta del Sud newspaper. The message was clear: the feud was a clash between minor elements of the clan and Gambazza was trying to reach a peace without victors, as he had done in the past, in 1991, when the conflict started.

• :Category:'Ndranghetisti
• List of 'ndrine

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/0,1518,500266,00.html Rache am Weihnachtsmörder], Spiegel Online, 16 August 2007. {{in lang|de}}
• [http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,500016,00.html A Deadly Mafia Export from Italy], Spiegel Online, 15 August 2007
• [http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1294052007 Mafia six killed over an egg], The Scotsman, 16 August 2007
• [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0d99a648-4b91-11dc-861a-0000779fd2ac,_i_rssPage=7c485a38-2f7a-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8.html Mafia feud blamed for 'executions' in Germany]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Financial Times, 16 August 2007

{{coord missing|Germany}}

Category:Massacres in Germany

Category:Mass murder in 2007

Category:History of the 'Ndrangheta

Category:Organized crime conflicts in Italy

Category:Conflicts in 2007