Mori and the infinite pillory: the Army defends the general. Storm over Florence prosecutors

A message of closeness to General Mori, following the news of a new guarantee notice, arrived from the Carabinieri. «Having learned of the notice of investigation, with an invitation to appear for questioning as a suspect, against General Mario Mori, in full respect of the work of the Judicial Authority, the Carabinieri expresses its closeness towards of an Officer who, with his service, has brought prestige to the Institution in Italy and abroad, trusting that even in this circumstance he will be able to demonstrate his non-involvement in the disputed facts”.

This is the comment made by Leonardo Tricarico, former Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force:

Impeccable from the point of view of institutional correctness but certainly irregular and unusual, the message of solidarity that the force wanted to pay to Gen Mori, invited in recent hours to appear at the Florence prosecutor’s office as a suspect. A message from the Army that is apparently dry, of pure circumstance, written in the style of those who cannot avoid showing closeness to those who remain entangled in the meshes of justice and, in the dangerously rooted inversion of the honor of the test, must demonstrate their own extraneousness to the disputed facts. Nothing could be more wrong in the assessment of the Carabinieri’s solidarity statement. Wrong because only from within, only those who are used to serving the institutions with discipline, loyalty and honor (and in silence) are able to fully grasp the meaning – hidden to most – of the frustration, bitterness and disappointment in seeing contest very serious crimes against someone who over time has become a symbol, an icon, a crystalline example of professionalism and loyalty to the oath taken for colleagues and employees.

It is good that all those who in one way or another are involved in this incredible affair reflect on this – on the fact that an accusation whose validity will have to be demonstrated by the magistrates has created reverberations throughout the entire force. Starting with the Chief Prosecutor of Florence who seems to have endorsed the accusatory system with his signature, shaking the hope that it could have been the clumsy and inexperienced gesture of a young substitute. To continue with the investigating judge and the preliminary hearing judge who will have to express their opinion as the judicial process continues. Or of the CSM, incompetent in the circumstances to intervene but responsible, in a broader sense, to consider the behavior of the Florentine judiciary in the context of a broader scenario, which sooner or later will have to be addressed. Or the collective bodies of trade union representation or current membership, so that they too can evaluate whether it is not appropriate to activate a collective reflection aimed at moderating excesses when not supported by valid clues or evidentiary evidence.

Considerations those exposed so far which ignore the specific case of Mario Mori, and which are applicable to all servants of the State, to those who normally navigate in clean waters whose culpable clouding can cause mortification and discomfort, with certain reverberations on the entire team of belonging. In addition, in the case of Mori, both his successes in the fight against crime of all kinds and the ordeal that they brought upon him are now in the public domain. What not everyone knows is that if today we can enjoy a privileged condition in the fight against the most insidious forms of organized crime (such as terrorism), all of this is largely thanks to Mario Mori and the investigative methodologies put in place by he to the point that, as they are gradually updated, they constitute the most precious legacy today for those involved in the fight against crime. There is – I believe – enough to lead even the most cynical, insensitive, careless and ideologically characterized magistrate to an unavoidable reflection. Otherwise, the growing disaffection and disesteem of Italians for certain judiciaries will spread, perhaps reaching alarming levels.