Domenico Libri
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Domenico Libri (; 24 May 1934 – 1 May 2006), also known as Don Mico, was an
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
criminal and a member of the
'Ndrangheta The 'Ndrangheta (, , ) is a mafia-type organized crime, criminal syndicate originating from the Calabria region of Italy. Gratteri & Nicaso, ''Fratelli di Sangue'', pp. 65–68 This body, also referred to as the Commission in reference to the ...
in
Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
. Libri was a fugitive from June 1989 and his name was on the
list of most wanted fugitives in Italy The list of most wanted fugitives in Italy is a most wanted list published by the Italian Interior Ministry. It includes criminals who are considered extremely dangerous by the Polizia di Stato. The list was started in July 1992. There are also l ...
until his capture in September 1992. At the time he was considered to be the 'Ndrangheta’s number one.


'Ndrangheta heritage

The Libri clan, headed by Domenico and his brother Pasquale, dominated the Cannavò neighbourhood of
Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria (; ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the List of cities in Italy, largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. As ...
. They moved into construction and were able to win public contracts for their company ''Edilizia Reggina'' due to their contacts with politicians, such as Riccardo Misasi, a former
Christian Democrat Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian ethics#Politics, Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo ...
Education Minister.Third Party Head in Italy Resigns in Scandal
The New York Times, 17 March 1993
Libri's first arrest was in 1962, for illegal possession of firearms. In the following years multiple arrests and short prison sentences followed on charges for fraud, extortion, instigation to murder, murder, drug trafficking and criminal association.Sentenza procedimento penale Olimpia
, Tribunale di Reggio Calabria, 19 January 1999


Second 'Ndrangheta war

Libri was closely connected to the De Stefano clan and sided with them when the so-called second 'Ndrangheta war broke out in 1985. After the murder of Paolo De Stefano on 13 October 1985, Libri succeeded him as the leader of the alliance with Giovanni Tegano. The bloody six-year war (1985–1991) between the Condello- Imerti clan and De Stefano-Tegano-Libri-Latella clan left 621 deaths.Godfather's arrest fuels fear of bloody conflict
The Observer, 24 February 2008
Relazione annuale
Commissione parlamentare d’inchiesta sul fenomeno della criminalità organizzata mafiosa o similare, 30 July 2003
In the midst of the 'Ndrangheta war he was arrested on 13 October 1986, in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
(he had been banned by the court to reside in Calabria). Libri became one of the principal targets of the opposing clans. While in prison, a
sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...
killed his son Pasquale Rocco Libri on 10 September 1988, as he was strolling in the prison yard. Six months later, on 17 March 1989, a sniper just missed Don Mico Libri, surrounded by Carabinieri, when he was leaving the court in Reggio Calabria where he had to appear in a trial against the 'Ndrangheta.Stavolta il 'cecchino' ha fallito
La Repubblica, 18 March 1989


Fugitive

He obtained a medical release for arteriopathy, which forced him to walk with a crutch. After being released from the hospital on 2 June 1989, Libri managed to escape his escort of eight
Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
and went on the run.'Giudici, l'imputato è fuggito'
La Repubblica, 6 June 1989
While on the run he returned to his strongly protected villa in Reggio Calabria to continue the war against rival clans. A peace for the bloody feud was brokered in September 1991 on the instigation of Domenico Libri. The conflict was settled with the help of other 'Ndrangheta bosses. Antonio Nirta, head of the San Luca locale vouched for the De Stefano-Tegano and Libri, while Antonio Mammoliti vouched for the Condello-Imerti clan. Libri became a member of '' Camera di Controllo'', a provincial commission of the 'Ndrangheta formed at the end of the Second 'Ndrangheta war in September 1991, to avoid further internal conflicts.


Arrested in France

On 17 September 1992, he was arrested in
Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
(
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
).Criminal Fish Fall Into Police Net in Italy
Los Angeles Times, 18 September 1992
He was extradited to Italy. While on trial for murders and criminal association and his role in the Second 'Ndrangheta war, he was released for medical reasons and placed under house arrest. According to prosecutor Salvatore Boemi the release was "a slap in the face for those who have worked for the restoration of justice in Calabria".Firenze, il tribunale scarcera il padrino della ' ndrangheta
La Repubblica, 13 February 1998
His son Antonio Libri, also on the
list of most wanted fugitives in Italy The list of most wanted fugitives in Italy is a most wanted list published by the Italian Interior Ministry. It includes criminals who are considered extremely dangerous by the Polizia di Stato. The list was started in July 1992. There are also l ...
, was arrested on 23 May 2000.Il nascondiglio di Libri era in casa del suocero
, Gazzetta del Sud, 24 May 2000
In April 2002, he received six life sentences for 18 murders and criminal association in the Olimpia Trial against the 'Ndrangheta.
Il Tirreno, 21 April 2002
In and out of prison for medical reasons, he was arrested again in March 2006 in
Prato Prato ( ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') in Tuscany, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Prato. The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of , at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana ch ...
where he was living under house arrest.La vita anonima di Mico Libri, ergastolano a casa
Il Tirreno, 2 March 2006
Libri died on 1 May 2006, in the Secondigliano prison in Naples.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Libri, Domenico 1934 births 2006 deaths Fugitives wanted by Italy Italian people convicted of murder Italian people who died in prison custody Italian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment 'Ndranghetisti 'Ndranghetisti sentenced to life imprisonment People convicted of murder by Italy People extradited from France People extradited to Italy People from Reggio Calabria Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Italy Prisoners who died in Italian detention