Fears of Mafia turf war
Exiles expected to seek revenge after death of ‘The Beast’.
The death of a Mafia “boss of bosses” nicknamed “The Beast”, who ordered dozens of murders during a bloody reign of terror, could unleash a turf war between rival factions in Sicily.
Salvatore “Toto” Riina, one of the most brutal godfathers in the history of Cosa Nostra (the Mafia), died of cancer this week at the age of 87. He was serving 26 life sentences for multiple murder convictions.
Riina, known in Sicilian dialect as “U Cortu”, or “Shorty”, because of his diminutive stature, led a reign of terror in Sicily for nearly 20 years until his arrest in 1993.
In establishing an iron grip on Cosa Nostra, he murdered rivals and sent many opponents into exile in the United States and Latin America.
There are now fears that “the exiles” could seek revenge against “the Corleonesi” — Riina loyalists who come from the hilltop town of Corleone, immortalised by The Godfather films, and Palermo, Sicily’s capital.
“Riina’s allies are terrified that the exiles will return and exact vengeance for the slaughter of the 1980s,” said John Dickie, an expert on Cosa Nostra and the author of several books, including Mafia Republic: Italy’s Criminal Curse.
“Riina drove many of his enemies into exile. Since his capture, they have been angling to return.”
Politicians and experts also warned that the death of Riina does not signal the end of the Mafia.
Despite the godfather’s arrest 24 years ago, Cosa Nostra has continued to go about its business, dealing in drugs and extorting money from businesses in Sicily and beyond, and is likely to continue to do so.
“His death should not tempt us to lower our guard,” said Andrea Orlando, the Justice Minister.
Rosy Bindi, the head of a government anti-Mafia commission, warned that Cosa Nostra still presented a grave threat.
“The end of Riina is not the end of the Sicilian Mafia, which remains a highly dangerous criminal system.”
Monsignor Michele Pennisi, the archbishop of Monreale in Sicily, said: “The delusional omnipotence of the boss of bosses may have finished, but the Mafia is by no means defeated.”
After his incarceration, Riina was succeeded as the “capo di tutti capi” (boss of bosses) by Bernardo “The Tractor” Provenzano. But he in turn was arrested in 2006, after more than 40 years as a fugitive. Since then, Cosa Nostra has lacked clear leadership.
“Riina’s allies are terrified that the exiles will return and exact vengeance for the slaughter of the 1980s.” John Dickie