Catania. Commemoration of the 41st anniversary of the killing of the Marshal Major Assistant of the Carabinieri Alfredo Agosta, a victim of organized crime.
On the morning of today 18 March 2023, on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the assassination of Marshal Major “Adjutant” Alfredo Agosta, Gold Medal for Valor of the Carabinieri in memory, a laurel wreath was placed at the commemorative plate located in via Firenze at the corner with viale Vittorio Veneto, the place where the soldier met his death at the hands of his assassins.
During the ceremony, which was attended by Marshal Agosta’s family members, civil, military and religious personalities of the province of Catania, the Commander of the Carabinieri Legion “Sicily”, General of Division Rosario CASTELLO, the Provincial Commander of Catania, Colonel Rino COPPOLA and a large representation of the National Carabinieri Association and of the students of the Liceo Ginnasio Statale “Mario Cutelli and Carmelo Salanitro, the motivation for the Gold Medal was read and the Military Chaplain blessed both the plaque and the laurel wreath. Numerous citizens and passers-by who heard the sound of the “silence”, played by a military trumpeter of the Fanfare of the 12th Carabinieri Regiment “Sicilia” to honor the fallen in service, they stopped to pay tribute to the victim of duty
Shortly after, at the Palace of Justice, in front of the Prefect of Catania and the highest judicial authorities of the Province, on the initiative of the Presidency of the Court of Appeal of Catania and the National Anti-Mafia Association “Alfredo Agosta”, the naming of the premises that house the Judicial Police Section – Carabinieri Rate in memory of the fallen Marshal took place, uncovering a commemorative plaque and a painting, bearing the face of Marshal Agosta and the engraving of the motivation of the Medal of Valor . On the occasion, the President of the Court of Appeal, Dr. Filippo Pennisi, the General of Division Rosario Castello and the Prefect of Catania intervened, —–, who in recalling the heroic gesture of Marshal Agosta, underlined the importance of activity of the Carabinieri of the Judicial Police Section of Catania, in close collaboration with the Judiciary, the high symbolic value of the initiative, which honored a fallen soldier who served precisely in those offices and how today’s events assume a particular significance, placing itself between the past celebration of the “Day of National Unity, the Constitution, the anthem and the flag” and the upcoming 21 March of the “Day of Remembrance and Commitment in remembrance of the Innocent Victims of the Mafia” . Among the interventions, also that of the son of Marshal Agosta, Dr. Giuseppe Agosta, who in thanking those present, moved, wanted to remember the beautiful moments as a child, when next to his father immersed in the activity of investigation, he spent time among the instruments techniques now collected and exhibited as relics in those premises.
Afterwards, at the Liceo Ginnasio Statale “Mario Cutelli and Carmelo Salanitro”, a conference was held on the theme: “The mafia yesterday and today: techniques for investigating and monitoring the phenomenon”. At the event, moderated by the lawyer Cosimo Dellisanti, Dr. Giuseppe Agosta, member of the National Anti-Mafia Association Alfredo Agosta and son of the Victim of Organized Crime, dr. Paolo Borrometi, Co-director of AGI (Italian Journalistic Agency), Dr. Francesco Puleio, Assistant Prosecutor of the Republic of Catania and the general of division Rosario Castello, Commander of the Carabinieri Legion “Sicilia”
General Castello, during his speech, carried out an in-depth analysis of the evolution of organized crime in Sicily and, in particular, of the Cosa Nostra of Etna, first of all illustrating the lines of action of a “business mafia”, characterized by a collusive-corruptive attitude rather than massacring and bloodthirsty, increasingly aimed at infiltrating the legal productive fabric of society and the dynamics of the local management of public affairs. In the continuation of the analysis, the General then explained to the students the new strategies to fight mafia associations, focusing in particular on the need to attack the illicit assets that support the associations and to prevent the pollution of the healthy economy, above all in relation to the next loans connected to the PNRR. In this perspective, the Commander of the Carabinieri Legion of Sicily recalled how in 2022 alone, the Provincial Carabinieri Command of Catania executed 3 separate decrees of seizure of assets for confiscation purposes in the province of Etna, for a total value of approximately € 4,700.00 ,00, the result of the reuse of illicitly acquired capital and attributable to top exponents of local clans. Finally, the High Officer spoke of the project of the “Culture of Legality in young people”, promoted nationwide by the Arma, where the Carabinieri meet school students from all over Italy, to illustrate current and interesting issues, making them understand the importance of respecting the rules of civil coexistence. Developing a civic conscience in young people, General Castello explained, is in fact a fundamental tool for fighting organized crime from the grassroots and in an “advanced manner”, whose strength lies in the connivance and silence of part of society.
As part of the conference, the prizes were awarded “Alfredo Agosta” to the Provincial Commander of the GdF of Catania, Brigadier Gen. Antonino Raimondo, to the Quaestor of Catania, dr. Vito Calvino, to the Provincial Commander of the Carabinieri of Catania, Colonel Rino Coppola, to the AGI co-director, dr. Paolo Borrometi, for their profuse commitment in the fight against crime and malfeasance, as well as to the catanese restaurant entrepreneurs Angelo, Francesca and Lucio who, with their courage and civic sense, allowed the arrest of their extortionists.
REMEMBERING THE FACTS CONCERNING THE DEATH OF MARSHAL AUGUST.
On the evening of March 18, 1982, forty years ago, it was just after seven and Marshal Agosta, enlisted in the Arma on May 31, 1952 and at the time in service at the Catania Police Unit, was inside a bar in the company of a subject of operational interest, a leading exponent of local crime from whom he usually acquired information in a “confidential” form. Suddenly a misrepresented person armed with a sawed-off shotgun burst into the room, with the precise intention of assassinating the Marshal’s interlocutor.
The Petty Officer, in the instinctive and courageous attempt to react, was mortally wounded by the shots fired by the assassin who also fired at him to cancel his counter action and proceed with the assassination of the designated victim, then “finished” with numerous shots firearms exploded by a second criminal who entered immediately after. Having accomplished their mission of death, the attackers fled, losing track of them.
This is the motivation of the Gold Medal of Valor of the Carabinieri “in Memory” granted to him: «With exceptional contempt of danger, he did not hesitate to face two dangerous criminals armed with rifles and machine guns, who had committed the murder of a criminal, who in turn was fatally shot during the shootout. A clear example of elected military virtues and a very high sense of duty. Catania, March 18, 1982.»
