Italy arrests anti-globalization activists

Transfered from old site <!--break--> Italy arrests anti-globalization activists for "subversive" activities &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>ROME, Nov 15 (AFP) - About 20 anti-globalization activists accused of subversive activities during major international gatherings have been arrested in Italy, judicial sources said Friday. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The group, rounded up late Thursday across southern Italy, are suspected of belonging to a network accused of deliberately disrupting meetings including the Group of Eight summit in July last year in Genoa, where one activist was killed and hundreds more injured by police officers. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The arrests come less than a week after hundreds of thousands of anti-globalization protestors turned out in Florence for a massive peaceful rally against a possible US-led war on Iraq. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The most well-known of the detained activists, Francesco Caruso, was placed in preventive detention at the Trani prison in southern Italy, sources said. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Caruso, 28, is a noted figure of Italy's activist left, serving as a link between his native Naples and the northern city of Bologna, where he studied and led student protests. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Two other activist leaders, Francesco Cirillo and Giuseppe Fonzino, were also detained at the prison in the Puglia region, famous for serving as a lock-up for terrorists and mafia figures. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The operation was greeted with anger by members of Italy's left-wing opposition, who questioned its motives. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>"The accusation of subversive association is very serious, and the judges must very quickly make clear whether there is enough evidence to merit such an accusation," said Gavino Angius, head of the Democratic Left bloc in the senate. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Piero Bernocchi, the leader of Cobas, a union federation which saw two of its leaders rounded up Thursday, called the operation "grotesque", adding that it serves only to "aggravate the state of tension around the (anti-globalization) movement". &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Thirteen activists, including two women, were detained in prison after the round-up in Naples, Taranto and Cosenza, in southern rural provinces and on the island of Sicily. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Seven more, including two other women, were placed under house arrest. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>A total of 42 people are being investigated for criminal activities, judicial sources said. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Police suspect the detainees were part of a group of anarchists -- called the "black block" because of their black garments -- who protested in Genoa and are suspected of leading urban rioting that caused the northern coastal city around 25 million euros (dollars) worth of damage. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Sources also said police, upon searching the detainees' homes, found a large quantity of materials including iron bars, sticks and helmets. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>

<p>Transfered from old site</p> <!--break--><p>Italy arrests anti-globalization activists for "subversive" activities<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)<br />  <br /><br />  <br /><br />  <br /><br />  <br />ROME, Nov 15 (AFP) - About 20 anti-globalization activists accused of subversive activities during major international gatherings have been arrested in Italy, judicial sources said Friday.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The group, rounded up late Thursday across southern Italy, are suspected of belonging to a network accused of deliberately disrupting meetings including the Group of Eight summit in July last year in Genoa, where one activist was killed and hundreds more injured by police officers.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The arrests come less than a week after hundreds of thousands of anti-globalization protestors turned out in Florence for a massive peaceful rally against a possible US-led war on Iraq.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The most well-known of the detained activists, Francesco Caruso, was placed in preventive detention at the Trani prison in southern Italy, sources said.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Caruso, 28, is a noted figure of Italy's activist left, serving as a link between his native Naples and the northern city of Bologna, where he studied and led student protests.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Two other activist leaders, Francesco Cirillo and Giuseppe Fonzino, were also detained at the prison in the Puglia region, famous for serving as a lock-up for terrorists and mafia figures.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The operation was greeted with anger by members of Italy's left-wing opposition, who questioned its motives.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />"The accusation of subversive association is very serious, and the judges must very quickly make clear whether there is enough evidence to merit such an accusation," said Gavino Angius, head of the Democratic Left bloc in the senate.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Piero Bernocchi, the leader of Cobas, a union federation which saw two of its leaders rounded up Thursday, called the operation "grotesque", adding that it serves only to "aggravate the state of tension around the (anti-globalization) movement".<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Thirteen activists, including two women, were detained in prison after the round-up in Naples, Taranto and Cosenza, in southern rural provinces and on the island of Sicily.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Seven more, including two other women, were placed under house arrest.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />A total of 42 people are being investigated for criminal activities, judicial sources said.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Police suspect the detainees were part of a group of anarchists -- called the "black block" because of their black garments -- who protested in Genoa and are suspected of leading urban rioting that caused the northern coastal city around 25 million euros (dollars) worth of damage.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />Sources also said police, upon searching the detainees' homes, found a large quantity of materials including iron bars, sticks and helmets.<br />  <br /><br />  <br /></p>