Police wait anxiously to quiz hurt terrorist

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 8

Police wait anxiously to quiz hurt terrorist

NZPA-Reuter Rome The Italian police are waiting anxiously to question a wounded urban guerrilla who might provide a much-needed breakthrough in their hunt for the kidnappers of the former Prime Minister, Aldo Moro. Christofaro Piancone was critically ill in a Turin hospital after being shot .by a prison guard. Piancone, who is 28, was one of three guerrillas who ambushed the guard, Lorenzo Cutogno, as he was leaving the lift in his apartment block. Cutogno, who is 31, and who was about to be transferred from Turin to Sicily because of a Leftist bomb attack on his car last year, shot Piancone before dying in a hail of gunfire.

Police sources in Turin said that Piancone, a former worker at a giant Fiat car plant, was a known supporter of the extreme Left and was suspected of an attack

on a Fiat company doctor in 1975.

A kidnapped Italian building millionaire, Angelo Apolloni, has been freed in Rome after a gun battle between the police and his abductors, the police have said. But he was shot in the shoulder when the police intercepted the kidnappers’ car as they were transferring him to another hideout.

The gang escaped. Mr Apolloni, who is 32, was the second kidnap victim freed by the Rome police on Tuesday. Earlier they stormed a hide-out to rescue 16-year-old Michela Marconi, daughter of a wealthy industrialist.

The police believe both victims, who were abducted last month, were held by the same gang. The girl’s suspected abductors were caught as they picked up a 270 million lire (about $NZ300,000) ransom.

In Genoa, a man who identified himself as a mem-

ber of the Red Brigades, has extorted 80 million lire (about SNZ9O,OOO) from a bank.

“J am from the Red Brigades,” police quoted the man as telling the director of the bank. “You must give me 80 million lire for my organisation. Another 20 comrades are carrying out this same operation in other Genoa banks. If you fail to give me the money your family will be in trouble.”

He was given the money and then disappeared.

The police said they believed the extortion had no political connection and that the man was not a member of the Red Brigades.

In Paris, a French court has ordered the release of an Italian journalist wanted in Italy to answer charges that he’ helped organise the Red Brigades. Antonio Bellavita, arrested in Paris last month, was (ordered to appear in court ion May 10 on- extradition 1 proceedings.