Transcripts For DW Close Up 20190429

There have been two bomb explosions. Ostia a seaside suburb of rome. This road links austria to the rest of the city. At the daily newspaper lottery book leka research regarding the explosions is underway. Frederica and jelly is a local reporter her beat is mafia activities. As was present with whom two bombs exploded one in front of the house. And one on the balcony of the mother of the principal witness tamara in a mafia case. Tamara is a young woman who statements have helped Police Arrest thirty two members of the spot atlanta. And tomorrows partner is the nephew of a high level criminal can you know. When a criminal is murdered then his gang which includes the nephew here automatically gets absorbed into a stronger clan with anybody in their chain grab at all chain traffic back to their camp you for. The time for an editorial meeting. They have been bombs in austria evacuations in seven a wrists he went to where there are some new developments in the story first theres the mother whos told me all about her daughter the principal witness who was tracked down by the spot has. Given a whole page. With a fear that this is her son calling oh hi is everything ok im taking care of your mother dont worry they are not humans theyre beasts i remember when they threatened my daughters life my children dont have anything to do with it either this is just how it is so i know. I know but listen they wont win it just looks like theyre winning that part of the straw it looks like theyre winning but theyre not. Listen ill call you back in a minute dont worry talk soon. Following the publication of her articles romes mafia family started making threats against federica she now lives under Police Protection. The secret to not giving up the fight against the mafia is to find the strength to be patient if you can do that and you can put up with the bureaucracy of the Justice System then youll manage not to lose your mind as. The location of this building is secret. Its guarded by soldiers and Police Officers around the clock. This is where sicilian journalist paolo the lives hes published articles naming cecelia mafia bosses reporting extensively on their Business Activities and shedding light on their ties to politicians. Going through the years ive had Police Protection since the twenty eighth of august twenty fourth teen or unison which was when i was attacked me many of these hoarded men had left me more dead than alive and lying somewhere in the countryside. Chat show until i spent months recovering at my parents home you know working with my shoulder had been broken in three places and i couldnt move my arm. But actually in the night of the twenty second of august me. They also tried to set my home on fire then w n f wont work and. In his articles paolo has said that many sicilians prefer to rely on the mafia than the state to solve various problems. But he my most recent investigations and pocky know led to the arrest of a number of mafia bosses including an officer in the police force and for keno which is where the famous tomatoes comforted me he said you know but you know. That you need to. See. One policeman working in case there didnt talk to his colleagues which would have been the obvious thing to do. What to the local mafia boss that shouldnt be happening thats not right and this culture of organized crime is worse than the actual mafia case. After the arsenate. Back on his house paolo had no choice but to leave sicily and move to rome. After repeated attempts on his life and a number of Death Threats he now has the highest level of Police Protection available. Hes accompanied by five Police Officers whenever he leaves his home including when he travels abroad. For security reasons we cant show the faces of some of his bodyguards. Paolo has been invited on a radio show to talk about his new book. Welcome to audio boys thanks for having me back at me that i mean this is this a mafia boss once said. A murder every now and then puts peoples minds at ease. With that and youve been pegged as one of those murderers. Thats true is that an exact way luckily that didnt get you. Out of that phrase a murder every now and then it appeared in the Police Recordings on the tenth of april aquino mafia plan to take me and my security detail out with a car bomb. My its also kind of like a metaphor or. Because a murder now and then might go unnoticed. Doesnt elicit public outrage. But journalists have to report on what they see thats their responsibility. Everybody needs to get involved get their hands dirty or we journalists have to ask questions keep researching and probing its not enough to be a critical voice you have to decide which side youre on to. Guide it so you show you that this guy. Has been controlled by organized crime syndicates for decades. Geographically speaking austria is too important to be left to the states theres the airport the ports the coastline. Exploiting the reach in the way the mafia does is lucrative. There are legal and illegal markets from tourism to drug dealing with. This clan has claimed the luxury villas along the beach and forced out the original residents either by violent means or in collusion with corrupt local authorities. Federico anjali first made enemies of the new tory a spot of family and twenty thirteen when she was investigating a piece on property and restaurant licenses. That we tracked them down to here we came with a camera team and went to this store. Here i thought this is the room. Queen each and all they were here amanda spado was sitting on a chair to the left he blew smoke in my face and threatened me so i need subtleness kalish one of the. He made a hand gesture and told me that the spot us are in control in austria and have everyone in the palm of their hand the police the corrupt and yeti the judges. And he said he told me hed confiscate the camera and that hed kill me if i didnt give it up first me and then my children he turned to the other person in the room and said you know she has three children the youngest is very pretty she has blue eyes shall we start with her so that was a really tough moment for me if not all the momentum or the more. She managed to trick them and save the footage. Federico was born and raised in austria despite the threats against her she and her family continue to live here. Because it was a laugh nonetheless for one thing that was lucky was that my children were still very young when i was put under Police Protection so my husband and i were able to turn it into a game. We didnt want them to realize that people wanted their mother dead or. Yeah. I. Know why i didnt do i dont know that. We told the children that they cant have been yes we were drivers the newspaper had given me as a reward for. In my work. Whenever i was desperate and cried id try and hide my tears. So yeah. I think its a. Weapon. If. He had it lots of people have advised us to leave and i live around the corner from the mafia boss. That mimics me the thing is i believe that when youre fighting a war you cant leave the battlefield. So the anxiety you feel breathing the same air should be mutual. On the grounds of the Villa Borghese in rome paolo is shooting an exclusive interview with another high profile target of mafia Death Threats Giuseppe Bombino president of the us Promontory National Park in calabria. On why are Civil Servants still willing to risk their lives in the style of never. Appropriate but all of them because we can frighten the mafia with words and rules. Of course they pretty pictures of people be not says that he and other Civil Servants are risking their lives by taking administrative action we journalists have a duty to give them a platform to stand in front of them and to reach out to them so they know they are not alone. Prophetical but also. How low lives alone and keeps a low profile. The mafia could strike at any minute. Paolo reviews the interview footage in the editing room and gets to work on his report on. This but even if i have there were no voice stupid people who didnt have one. Or im going to stop there lets go to my question keep it in there talk. To west fuck him aside where they phrase their threats is almost literary they sent me a bomb and a message that read. For you were made from dust tend to dust to show returns. The biblical cork. In syria. If its only one person speaking out against the mafia only one person condemning the. Even if its the president of an important National Park calling out illegal activity say then he stands alone. Thats been the problem again and again because then youre an easy target. But if there are many journalists willing to take a stand as well to condemn these criminals and speak out against them and if people can see with their own eyes whats going on then there is hope that we could once again live in a world free of crime syndicates. Back in austria. Five days after the bomb explosions the police raid the homes of two leading members of the spot a clan in. The district thats been a mafia stronghold for decades. The mafia wives are livid. And even the whole thing is made up those idiot witnesses a behind it. Even i dont know maybe they laid the bombs themselves. Never use a name nothing. Really deserve respect. To the criminal clans fredericas reporting is to blame for the raid. Civil rights and look at you like dogs let off the leash wounded animals no longer capable of rational thought join us theyre reacting like a wild animal that knows its trout that its got nothing to lose. He said its come a kasi that it could make any gods at the most of us the film is this came from an informer if you have the whole thing. You need to be careful theyre really mad at you just your articles have made them very angry. And you have to be much more careful than usual. Their total scumbags. They wouldnt hesitate to detonate a bomb under your window or use a member of your family to seek revenge. Shock would have it that meaning im having a rough time im afraid for my children. I have nightmares yes the air feels thick you know that theyve completely lost their minds so i need to be extra careful and i need to find out what they would do if they decide to strike. It out that im just one private citizen against the whole mafia. Despite the numerous attempts on his life paolo still visit sicily regularly. This time hes on his way to pull out so our three are no seventy kilometers from palermo. The entire town council had to step down when its ties to the mafia came to light. Up. You can see here that. They are travelling to sicily is always a major security undertaking. I recently received another death threat. That they referred to a car bomb and even mentioned the place where its supposed to happen in the future. But i know that i have to keep doing my job. And thats what im doing. But its an extreme fear. Because it sends shivers down my spine but it means im always looking over my shoulder to check my voice my Guardian Angels are there. But ill carry on regardless if you have all the stuff to do. Paolos appearance here as a guest of honor is supposed to mark the return of a legitimate administration. But whos on which side. How low can never be sure. How low thanks palermo provinces head of the carbon yeti the carbon yeti our italys National Police force. Everything that thing with cigarettes is the security detail is great the men are excellent to you please pass that on. Thats good to hear and i will pass that on. I know your value. We can make it together. The Police Campaign against the mafia and austria has been dubbed operation up a jail. The week after the explosions in a nighttime sweep Police Seized property gas stations gambling bars and gyms belonging to the spot a clan and their accomplices assets worth some nineteen million euros. But that doesnt mean federica can relax. The death of a key figure in the fight against romes mafia families has shaken her deeply. Judge simone at a dollar sandra was found dead in her apartment reportedly of a stroke. She and frederica were close friends. Has she is my lovely friend. When it listen simonetti was the first judge to comprehend the reach of the roman mafia she completely supported my work on a legal level and i literally think i will again i feel completely empty center about my mistress so much and i mean ive gone over all the messages weve sent each other the moments when i wept and said to her theyll win and theyll win i think and she said to me you know they arent going to win they wont. And the well being. You know i think she gave me so much encouragement and strength who knows what this means this sudden death because i want them to lisa. And also. It wasnt what will i do without her. Thats what it takes so much staying power theres no end in sight i dont know if i should give up or carry on. Because that you found. Most of what brings a mayor together with a mafia boss. Im talking about court i dont find mayor of one of the most beautiful places in the world not the cradle of sicilian baroque. And a criminal whos been sentenced for mafia crimes and more. Today mafia boss val can i bear a girl who owns a number of businesses in the town was released by the police. Paolo posts daily updates on the website last speech exposing the Business People and politicians who are in cahoots with the syrian mafia. A mafia in this part of sicily politicians and mafiosi were used to being criticized and they were able to do their deals in plain sight because they knew that no one would write about it theyre. Talking to one another isnt a crime obviously and theres nothing illegal about the mayor simply talking to a mafia boss i made it out but you are responsible for who you talk to same but it may be my dad ive always said that in a problematic region such as sicily. Fios he shouldnt be trusted and you cant go doing business with them if the public sees their own mayor talking to a mafia boss it said was a disaster risk message. Saying that they were asked. Or i dont think i have many fears i fear they could kill me. Good bosses honest i think there were two mafia bosses sentenced in two separate trials. And one said perfectly calmly that they were with me a part of the. Bates. Now and another referred to a slow death. But without the other for the best im scared of not having done enough to stand up. Voting feet of not having had enough time to tell the public whats happening. And ultimately i fear that my fellow italians dont understand that their silence and indifference are the weapons the mafia uses to defeat us. A fresh threat was issued yesterday on fredericas birthday this time the target was a Restaurant Owner whos already been in the mafias crosshairs once before because of his friendship with her. Just mario what happened was a man with a screwdriver came in. Mario tells frederica a man wearing his hood up and brandishing a screwdriver stood outside his restaurant yesterday and yelled ill kill you all. Then he ran away. Mario only realized later that his tires and the tires of his guests had been slit open. And the car with federica because the police are calling my guy too much for. Special occasions like federico is bursting the childrens birthdays are mine we always go to his restaurant. So its pretty clear why he was threatened. Were. Going to look at it yes. But its an exciting life isnt it. You know i didnt run i decided to fight the mafia for my children sake. Im going to be a bitch ive been criticised as a mother but to me its the only way of protecting them it is the only way i know using legal means to put a stop to illegal activities. That. A kid there might be things that theyre afraid of later exams unemployments failed love affairs but i dont want them to be afraid of the mafia yeah i want him to learn from all of this is the study of. Sex they can. Raring to. If there is any your product that its remember you have to find it between the alliance. Literature hundred german streets. People here life they love their country but not the current conditions. A journey through a land full of contradictions joy and sadness confidence and doubt. Our documentary depicts the contrasts of everyday life and people cope with that fear their sweet starts may second. This is. A shocking video message to the world the proclaimed leader. Says that the suicide bombings in. The terror group releasing this video says to show. He says that these bombings were to avenge the loss of his last stronghold in syria also coming up. Takes a battering from the second cycle and destroying can just six weeks theres severe