Italian police have arrested 12 neo-Nazis accused of plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in order to spark a civil war and overthrow the government, local media report.
The ‘Werewolf Division’, a group that operated on Telegram, sought to establish an authoritarian regime ‘centered on the Aryan race’ and planned violent attacks against high-ranking officials to achieve this, according to police.
Raids were carried out across the country on the group on Wednesday, with a total of 25 houses searched and police discovering Nazi insignia, fascist flags and zombie knives.
Members of the group allegedly planned to shoot Meloni in the head as she left parliament, and conversations between them allegedly discussed training sessions and reconnaissance missions in Rome.
“In front of Parliament there is a hotel – it is one of the intercepted conversations – from there you can shoot from above,” one of them would have said in the chilling correspondence. “I’ll shoot him in the head,” said another.
The suspects allegedly referred to the Brothers of Italy politician as a “concubine of Zion,” “a fascist until she came to power” who “now denies being one” and “persecutes fascists,” as well as a “traitor.”
Counter-terrorism police said the group was already at an advanced stage of operational preparation and was capable of carrying out attacks at the time of the raids.
According to investigators, another secret Telegram group called Movimento Nuova Alba had been created to discuss the group’s most violent projects and train “warriors,” and in-person meetings had been held to discuss the plans.
Emblems of the ne0-Nazi ‘Werewolf Division’ shared on their Telegram channel
On the wall of a suspect’s bedroom hangs an Italian flag depicting fascist dictator Benito Mussolini giving the Roman salute.
The police raid uncovered zombie knives at one of the more than two dozen properties they searched.
Videos of raids on properties linked to the group show piles of army uniforms
Members of the group allegedly planned to shoot Giorgia Meloni in the head as she left parliament.
The “division” was supposedly headed by three key figures: Daniele Trevisani, supposedly the ideological leader, Andrea Ziosi, who supposedly directed communications and kept in touch with cells located in other countries, and Salvatore Nicotra, supposedly known as “the instructor.’
According to documents seen by La Repubblica, he supposedly “had the task of enlisting and militarily training the members of the association”, whom they called “comrades”.
They allegedly entered into relationships with jihadist groups, sharing combat methods and techniques to achieve their joint goals of “collapsing the system.”
The members, based across the country, were allegedly obsessed with traveling to Rome to “punish” Meloni, proudly claiming they were training for the attack, La Repubblica reports.
They reportedly searched for weapons on the Internet and visited shooting ranges to practice shooting.
They are also accused of recruiting minors online to participate in violence, allegedly stating that “the troops must grow.”
‘Look at my daughter who has learned to do the Roman salute’ writes one of the group, attaching a photo of a newborn with her arm raised. ‘Excellent! Aryan baby’.
They allegedly shared their racist and anti-Semitic views online, denying the Holocaust and sharing vile statements such as “one white man is worth more than three black people.”
Fascist insignia were scattered around one of the properties, as a video released by state police shows.
Knives were found during the raids, police said, but no firearms or explosives.
Piles of Nazi Propaganda Books Found in Suspect’s Bedroom
The Werewolf Division, an apparent offshoot of the group, took its name from a Nazi militia formed after World War II.
Videos of raids on properties linked to the group show piles of military uniforms, zombie and hunting knife shops and piles of Nazi propaganda books.
Fortunately, police said, no firearms or explosives were discovered during the raids.
On the wall of one of the suspects’ bedroom hangs an Italian flag depicting fascist dictator Benito Mussolini giving the Roman salute, with the words ‘duce ‘d’Italia’ written next to it.
Police managed to trace the network thanks to evidence they obtained during a previous investigation into a sister organization called ‘The Order of Hagal’.
The group, which authorities disbanded in 2022, had also drawn up detailed plans to overthrow the Italian government by force, declaring that it would form “armies” to “eliminate politicians” in a surprise attack.
The Werewolf Division, an apparent branch of the group, took its name from a Nazi militia formed after World War II that sought to carry out acts of sabotage and guerrilla warfare against Allied troops.