Two are arrested in school bomb attack (Brindisi Italy)

Times of Malta ^ | May 21, 2012

[Straight Vermonter]

Italian police have arrested two suspects over the bombing of a school that killed a 16-year-old girl and seriously injured five more teenagers, media reports said yesterday.

The men were identified from security cameras at the vocational school in the southern city of Brindisi, where the bomb ripped through a group of students as they waited to begin classes early Saturday.

One of the suspects is an ex-soldier with knowledge of electronics, the daily Corriere della Sera reported, citing local news website Brindisireport.

Melissa Bassi died from her injuries in hospital, an only child from a working-class family who was studying to be a social worker.

Another young victim was fighting for her life after suffering extensive injuries to her chest, and another was badly wounded in the legs.

Italy’s flags flew at half mast and the Adriatic port city held the first of two days of mourning as Pope Benedict XVI condemned the bombing as “despicable” and said he is praying for Ms Bassi.

Public prosecutor Marco Di Napoli said there was clearly “a wish to carry out a massacre,” while playing down speculation that terrorist, foreign or Mafia figures could be behind the attack.

“We are far from knowing the truth only 24 hours after” the attack, which has not been claimed, he admitted at a news conference. “All possibilities remain open,” he said, but added: “The most likely hypothesis is that of an individual and isolated act. It’s not impossible that it was the work of a single person.”

He said police had a photofit of the assailant, whom he described as an “adult man who does not appear to be a foreigner”, after security cameras captured “terrible images” of him detonating the bomb.

The victims were all scorched by the blast, caused by three gas canisters and a timer, with doctors and witnesses describing flying shrapnel and their blackened bodies on the ground.

Thousands of young people spontaneously took to the streets of Italy’s main cities in emotional demonstrations against the violence, which many protesters blamed on a rising climate of social tension.

[Straight Vermonter]

Take this with a grain of salt. I don't see anyone else reporting arrests although other reports say they have identified suspects.

[rawhide]

I read earlier the ex-soldier was already released.

[rawhide]

“Media in Brindisi reported that two men, one a former soldier with knowledge of explosives, had been questioned by police and released. There was no confirmation from prosecutors.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/20/us-italy-bomb-idUSBRE84J0B420120520

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Straight Vermonter.

[trebb]

Was stationed at San Vito Air Station, about 12 miles outside Brindisi, from ‘78-’80. Port city with many interesting people from the world coming through/visiting. Also the host of numerous Communist demonstrations. The Itals have turned robbery into an art - one military guy bought a stereo downtown and put it in his trunk. While he was stopped in traffic, a couple Itals used a pry bar to pop his trunk , grab the stereo, and hightail it while he sat in the car. Another trick was for them to send kids down the streets of the towns Americans lived in and hit the hoods of parked cars to see which ones had motion alarms. Made it easier to steal the cars later that night. Areas were “protected” by vigilante forces (their actual name). If you paid the monthly fee, your stuff was fairly safe. if you did not pay, you could kiss your stuff goodbye - don’t know if they actually stole it or if they just told the crooks which places were fair game.

[q_an_a]

I didn’t know you could even mention that base -LOL. I was there 66-67. It was good duty...loads of girls from Europe on their way to Greece, great beach and campsite near Taranato. Anchi - bella regazza.

[trebb]

I didn’t know you could even mention that base -LOL. I was there 66-67. It was good duty...loads of girls from Europe on their way to Greece, great beach and campsite near Taranato. Anchi - bella regazza

Yeah - went from Security Sevrvice to Electronic Security Command between your and my "visits". The Flare Nine (Elephant Cage) antenna had many locals thinking we had missiles ready to go.

I lived in Specchiola, a little resort town that filled up with Itals in the Summer and where Americans could have elected their own town Mayor in the Winter. Lots of them luscious string bikinis where they could make it from a pair of boot laces and still have half a lace left over. Mostly went to the local beaches (Horse Shoe, etc.) and they even made one nude before I left - almost drove my Fiat into the water as I came a round a dune... Taranto was beautiful and folks still don't believe me when I tell them you could drop a nickle in 20' of water and tell if it landed heads or tails. Loved the Alimentaries and open markets in the surrounding towns.

[q_an_a]

We kept a tent at a Taranato campground all summer - cost $15.00 a month. It was so cool during the week when only the Austrians or English lay on the beach...yum. String had not shown up and it was the “Summer(s) of Love” in 66 or 67 when Beatles rolled out Rubber Soul, and SGt Pepper. You could eat forever at the best places on $20.00. The Cage had more than one local winking saying “Lei una spiea.”