Is a Mafia vs. Ultras War Brewing in Italy?
After the leader of the Inter Milan ultras murdered a top mafia boss in early September, Italy's football ultras may have had enough of being exploited.
Names to Remember:
Antonio Bellocco, 36, high-ranking member of the Bellocco clan, which belong to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia. Allegedly stabbed to death near Milan on September 4 by Andrea Beretta.
Andrea Beretta, 49, leader of the Curva Nord ultras, a group of fans of Inter Milan, often associated with violence and organized crime.
On September 3, the mafia boss and the ultras leader played futsal together, a five-a-side game with other Inter Milan supporters. Yet Beretta was already fearing for his life. For days, he had suspected that the scion of the Bellocco crime family was going to kill him, according to his declarations to police.
It wouldn’t take long for his suspicions to be confirmed.
On September 4, while training at the Testudo boxing gym, a popular spot for Inter Milan fans, Beretta got a phone call from Bellocco, telling him to come outside to talk. He told police he followed Bellocco to his Smart car, armed with a gun and a switchblade. Inside the car, Beretta asked if there…
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