Il Giornale published an investigation on 15 October 2026 detailing formerly classified Italian intelligence files that link Palestinian terrorist groups to the Sicilian Mafia. These documents indicate operational connections between the organizations, providing new insights into historical security threats. The Italian government initiated a broader project in 2014 to declassify state records concerning political violence and terrorism. Officials intended for this initiative to increase transparency regarding historical documentation. The release of these specific files follows the ongoing declassification process established by the state more than a decade ago. Intelligence archives now accessible to the public clarify the extent of these alleged associations, which remained obscured for years. The findings offer a documented record of interactions between these groups in the past.
Operations in Bekaa Valley
A Carabinieri report dated 9 November 1983 documented Sicilian Mafia networks associated with the Greco and Gambino families operating within Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Intelligence records indicate these organized crime factions maintained a presence in the region during that period.
Separately, a shipment containing approximately 900 kilograms of morphine base originated from Lebanon before arriving in Catania during October 1983. This transport suggests a link between illicit operations in the Bekaa Valley and distribution networks in Sicily. These findings, now public through the state declassification initiative, provide specific details regarding the movement of materials between the two locations.
Weapons and Criminal Exchanges
Intelligence reports alleged that six AK-47 assault rifles reached Mafia associates. These firearms were subsequently used in attacks in Sicily. The declassified files indicate these weapons crossed borders to facilitate criminal activity within the region. Records detailing these transactions provide specific evidence of the material support provided to organized crime factions. The documentation links the procurement of these armaments to operational networks previously active in the conflict zones of the Middle East. Italian officials released these details as part of the ongoing transparency initiative concerning historical security threats. The findings confirm that such weaponry played a role in internal violence within Sicily during the period documented by the state intelligence archives.
Assassinations and Terrorist Attacks
Italian magistrate Rocco Chinnici died on 29 July 1983 after a car bomb containing approximately 75 kilograms of explosives detonated in Palermo. Judicial proceedings in Italy subsequently established the responsibility of Cosa Nostra for the assassination of Rocco Chinnici. These legal findings identified no evidence of Palestinian operative involvement in the attack.
Regarding broader exchanges, Palestine Liberation Organization representative Zeid Wehbe stated: "The organization supplied expertise in explosives and sophisticated killing devices in exchange for assistance with criminal operations."
On 27 December 1985, the organization led by Abu Nidal conducted coordinated attacks at airports in Rome and Vienna. These assaults resulted in the deaths of 16 civilians and left approximately 120 others injured.
