Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 After reading a few books on the Sicilian mafia about five years ago I became very interested in them for a while. The story of the corleonesi, the faction from the small town of Corleone who took over the Sicilian mafia in a bloody coup, then conducted a massacre of their opponents in the second mafia war of the 1980s and the subsequent war on the Italian and Sicilian state is absolutely breathtaking, and eclipses anything mario Puzp could come up with. His choice of Corleone was pure coincidence apparently. These were criminals much more comparable to the IRA, ETA or the red brigades than the kray brothers. (Proportionally more Sicilians died at the hands of the mafia than n Irish people were killed during the troubles). They infiltrated the state to a staggering level and acquired wealth that compared with Pablo Escobar in Colombia. The head of this faction that came to dominate and control Cosa Nostra (la Cosa Nostra is a mistranslation used in America - it means the our thing) was a guy called toto riina. He was arrested in 1993 and had been in jail ever since. After becoming interested I periodically checked for updates as to the status of riina and his successor Bernardo provenzano, captured in 2006 after 43 years on the run. Provenzano died a year or two ago, I only found out last night that riina also died in November, unrepentant to the end. I would recommend anybody wishing to research this time to perhaps start with a documentary called excellent cadavers on YouTube, there is also a made for TV film of the same name though that's not as good. Also a fantastic book I'll get the name of in a second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 Cosa Nostra by john dickie is a good historical overview Excellent cadavers (which is the translation of the name they gave to high profile assassination victims) by Alexander stille is the book of the above documentary And one more which is the best book I've ever read in non fiction I'm still looking for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 Found it The last godfathers by John follain Absolutely fkn stunning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 I always like to compare it to Scotland as sicily has the same population and I feel the perspective helps to understand better. Tens of thousands were murdered, Cosa Nostras most prolific hitman was believed to have killed over 300 personally before being murdered at the age of 33. Entire families were vanished, one pentito (state witness) saw over 30 of his family members killed to punish him. It was not uncommon during the early 80s for 10 or 20 attacks in and around Palermo to occur on the same day. They killed judges, lawyers, politicians even the president of Sicily. Can you imagine that? That's like a criminal group killing Nicola sturgeon. They waged war on the state when the state tried to crack down on them culminating in two infamous bombings two months apart killing both investigating magistrates targeting them, followed by a series of terrorist attacks on the Italian mainland. Palermo airport is now named after those judges Paolo borsellino and giovanne falcone. Every layer of Sicilian and Italian society was permeated including seven times prime minister of Italy Giulio Andreotti being directly linked to riina himself. If you are interested in organised crime or whatever this is the best story of the lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Camorra >> Cosa Nostra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Who are the real gangsters? The mafia? IRA? Or the businessman in his suit and tie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 4 minutes ago, D.A.F.C said: Camorra >> Cosa Nostra Today Camorra are larger yes, but that's because Cosa Nostra has been shattered since the arrest of riina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 2 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said: Who are the real gangsters? The mafia? IRA? Or the businessman in his suit and tie? Well that's true, the links between these people and very senior businessmen and politicians are so extensive and deep they're almost symbiotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shandon Par Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Nat Wedderburn > The Camorra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKMAN Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Whoever thought opening a thread, would result in Cristiano Ronaldo’s mate talking to himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 4 minutes ago, Shandon Par said: Nat Wedderburn > The Camorra Nat Wedderburn lets them run Italy on his behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 17 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said: Who are the real gangsters? The mafia? IRA? Or the businessman in his suit and tie? Or a schoolgirl who passes a bird struggling with a broken wing and ignores it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 The story of how riina courted his wife made me burst out laughing when I first read it. He was 25 she was 13, he used to wait at the end of her street and then silently follow her to school every morning. Much like our current king and queen and also Pablo Escobar utterly beastly behaviour that was clearly much more acceptable in a different time. Invergowrie Arab salvo Lima would be a good example of the type you refer to, he was Cosa Nostras conduit to the Italian government for years, killed because he failed to have verdicts from the maxi trial of the mud 80s overturned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ2 Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Didn’t realise the population were the same or at least similar; our “gangsters” really are shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 55 minutes ago, Peppino Impastato said: I always like to compare it to Scotland as sicily has the same population and I feel the perspective helps to understand better. Tens of thousands were murdered, Cosa Nostras most prolific hitman was believed to have killed over 300 personally before being murdered at the age of 33. Entire families were vanished, one pentito (state witness) saw over 30 of his family members killed to punish him. It was not uncommon during the early 80s for 10 or 20 attacks in and around Palermo to occur on the same day. They killed judges, lawyers, politicians even the president of Sicily. Can you imagine that? That's like a criminal group killing Nicola sturgeon. They waged war on the state when the state tried to crack down on them culminating in two infamous bombings two months apart killing both investigating magistrates targeting them, followed by a series of terrorist attacks on the Italian mainland. Palermo airport is now named after those judges Paolo borsellino and giovanne falcone. Every layer of Sicilian and Italian society was permeated including seven times prime minister of Italy Giulio Andreotti being directly linked to riina himself. If you are interested in organised crime or whatever this is the best story of the lot. So, not all bad, then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 8 minutes ago, Peppino Impastato said: Much like our current king and queen Who's our current king? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shandon Par Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 If you’ve not watched Gomorra, The Series, you should. Best thing ever on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 You know, I read a lot. Especially about history. I find that shit fascinating. Here's a fact, I don't know whether you know or not, Sicilians were spawned by Africans. Sicilians have black blood pumpin' through their hearts. If you don't believe me, you can look it up. Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, you see, the Moors conquered Sicily. And the Moors are Africans. So you see, way back then, Sicilians were like wops from Northern Italy. Ah, they all had blonde hair and blue eyes, but then the Moors moved in there, they changed the whole country. They did so much fucking with Sicilian women that they changed the whole bloodline forever. That's why blonde hair and blue eyes became black hair and dark skin. They're part eggplant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 15 minutes ago, Shotgun said: Who's our current king? Well prince Phillip. He was an 18 year old squaddie posted to Buckingham palace, the queen a 13 year old heir to the throne. Today he'd be jailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 14 minutes ago, Shandon Par said: If you’ve not watched Gomorra, The Series, you should. Best thing ever on TV. I've seen the film and some of the series it is fantastic I plan to box set the whole thing some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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