Never, in seventeen years had she spoken so clearly. This is how the interrogation begins: “ I was afraid, not for myself, I was afraid for my children and my grandchildren. Now I know the time has come to report all the details, even the small ones, the ones that apparently seem insignificant”. Agnese Borsellino remembers and goes through her husband’s last 48 hours with the magistrates of Caltanissetta, the 48 hours that preceded the massacre in Mariano D’Amelio Street.
The interrogation goes back to about a month ago. Agnese Borsellino on one side and, prosecutors of Caltanissetta Sergio Lari and Domenico Gozzo on the other. Agnese shows up spontaneously and begins by saying “ when Paolo came back from Rome on July 17th “. July 17th, two days before the car filled with explosive blows up. Paolo Borsellino is in Rome questioning mafia boss Gaspare Mutolo who decided to repent after Giovanni Falcone’s murder. It’s Friday afternoon, Borsellino leaves Mutolo and gives him an appointment for the following Monday.
When he arrives in Palermo Paolo doesn’t stop by the Courthouse. He heads straight home to his wife. “ He wanted to be alone with me and asked me to go for a walk by the beach in Villagrazia di Carini”, Mrs. Agnese recalls. For the first time in many years judge Borsellino is without his bodyguards. He holds his wife close and the two walk for a very long time. He never spoke of his job with Agnese; however, in that particular day Paolo Borsellino “needed to talk”. Mrs. Agnese continues: “After a few minutes of silence, Paolo turns to me and says: ‘You know Agnese, I just looked the mafia straight in the eyes…’”. A couple of hours earlier Paolo had listened to Gaspare Mutolo’s confessions. He had heard him talk about magistrates who had made illicit agreements for illegal purposes, of policemen who were spies, of lawyers, engineers, doctors and accountants who worked for the “godfathers” of Corleone. Paolo Borsellino says nothing more. He tells his wife that on Monday he will be returning to Rome, “to continue questioning Mutolo”.
Saturday goes by in tranquility. On Sunday morning – July 19th, the day of the massacre – the phone rings. Agnese continues: “Very early, that day, my husband received a phone call from Pietro Giammanco who was then head prosecutor of Palermo. He told me that Giammanco had “authorized” him to continue questioning Mutolo, who was supposed to be interrogated by another prosecutor Vittorio Aliquo’ because of affairs regarding organization matters within the office. Paolo Borsellino knows he is about to die. Agnese, once again tells the prosecutors of Palermo: “ Paolo had found out a few days before that Cosa Nostra wanted to kill him”.
Paolo received this information through interceptions made with microphones that had been placed in specific locations “in a jail, where a number of “mafiosi” were locked up”. The threat was meant for Paolo and for two other magistrates, Gioacchino Natoli and Francesco Lo Voi. Agnese goes on: “One day Paolo called his two collegues and told them to leave Palermo, to go on a holiday. He advised them to arm themselves of a gun and to carry it with them wherever they went”. Giacchino Natoli and Francesco Lo Voi take the judge’s advice. Borsellino remains in Palermo. He knows he is sentenced to death. He also knows of the “negotiation” taking place between parts of the State and Riina and the Corleonesi. Officials of the carabinieri, of the Ros (special department of the italian “carabinieri”police force), colonel Mori – “the soul” of the special departments – and the reliable, honest captain De Donno. Most likely, prosecutors of Caltanissetta and Palermo theorize that Paolo was killed because he opposed the “negotiation”.
The new inquiry on the sicilian massacres, on deals and blackmailing that went on with the Corleonesi (organized crime), reveals new names every day. The last name to surface belongs to general Antonino Subranni. At the time Subranni was commander of the special police department called Ros. He was also Mori’s direct superior. A witness revealed to prosecutors of Caltanissetta a comment made by Borsellino: “ He personally told me a few days before he was killed. He said: ‘general Subranni is “punciutu” ( a man who belongs to Cosa nostra)…’”.
A strong statement to make. A statement, in perfect Borsellino style. What the judge meant by those words is up to the magistrates of Caltanissetta to discover. The sentence has, nonetheless, been put on record. General Subranni’s name has also emerged in Massimo Ciancimino’s (don Vito’s son) latest revelations. In an interview with Sandro Rutolo for televison show Annozero, Massimo Ciancimino affirms: “ My father’s corleonese nature did not allow him to trust carabinieri (italian policemen). When colonel Mori and captain De Donno tried to establish this kind of a negotiation, obviously my father had some doubts: how can it be that these two individuals, who were not even capable of looking after my trial, offer concrete guarantees?…” Ciancimino ends by saying: “ At first he is told that general Subranni, their boss is the backup…” Another inquiry within the inquiry that besieges the mysteries of the sicilian massacres.
Fonte: La Repubblica.it (ATTILIO BOLZONI e FRANCESCO VIVIANO, 14 ottobre 2009)
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