The Emergency, Phase One

Abstract

Among other things the Moro affair revealed to the nation was the disheartening lack of preparation of the forces of law and order. The blunders began very soon after the shooting stopped in Via Fani. An official in the Interior Ministry sent an order to police offices around the country that they put into immediate effect the emergency ‘plan zero’; unfortunately, the plan did not exist. Three automobiles used by the brigatisti in Via Fani were discovered in a street not far away — but only on three separate occasions over four days. The Interior Ministry released photographs of individuals believed to be brigatisti possibly involved in the crime and these were given wide publicity. It turned out, however, among other things, that two of the individuals in question were already in jail and two photos were of the same person under different names. Another of those shown was Marco Pisetta, who was in hiding from the BR. A few names were on the mark — Moretti, Gallinari and Bonisoli, for example.¹ But there were also other names of persons who were not even brigatisti, let alone involved in the case. And as to all of the individuals, the authorities had no hard proof.