Nicholas Whithorn
@nickwhithorn.bsky.social
Legal Translator and University Lecturer based in Messina. Sicily, mafia, Italian justice system.
Mafia Chronicles: nicholaswhithorn.substack.com
Mafia Chronicles: nicholaswhithorn.substack.com
Yes, Matt. They were all sick of listening to people like you.
November 19, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Yes, Matt. They were all sick of listening to people like you.
16th November 1922 - Mussolini's first speech as PM to the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
"I could have turned this dull deaf Chamber into a camp for my men: I could have closed down Parliament and formed an exclusively fascist government. I could have but, at least for now, I prefer not to".
"I could have turned this dull deaf Chamber into a camp for my men: I could have closed down Parliament and formed an exclusively fascist government. I could have but, at least for now, I prefer not to".
November 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
16th November 1922 - Mussolini's first speech as PM to the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
"I could have turned this dull deaf Chamber into a camp for my men: I could have closed down Parliament and formed an exclusively fascist government. I could have but, at least for now, I prefer not to".
"I could have turned this dull deaf Chamber into a camp for my men: I could have closed down Parliament and formed an exclusively fascist government. I could have but, at least for now, I prefer not to".
Home sweet home.
November 16, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Home sweet home.
La sanità in Sicilia: frode e corruzione dilagano, vedi il nuovo scandalo che coinvolge Totò Cuffaro, mentre i pazienti soffrono. Una interrcettazione dell'indagine rivela che le sale operatorie all'ospedale Papardo di Messina, dove ci sono state diverse morti sospette, non venivano mai pulite.
November 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
La sanità in Sicilia: frode e corruzione dilagano, vedi il nuovo scandalo che coinvolge Totò Cuffaro, mentre i pazienti soffrono. Una interrcettazione dell'indagine rivela che le sale operatorie all'ospedale Papardo di Messina, dove ci sono state diverse morti sospette, non venivano mai pulite.
Healthcare in Sicily: fraud & corruption rampant, as new scandal involving Totò Cuffaro shows, while patients suffer consequences. Tapped conversation in current investigation reveals operating theatres at a hospital in Messina, where there have been numerous suspicious deaths, were never cleaned.
November 9, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Healthcare in Sicily: fraud & corruption rampant, as new scandal involving Totò Cuffaro shows, while patients suffer consequences. Tapped conversation in current investigation reveals operating theatres at a hospital in Messina, where there have been numerous suspicious deaths, were never cleaned.
Burgers and air travel, foundations of US society, in crisis mode.
November 7, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Burgers and air travel, foundations of US society, in crisis mode.
After Italian Court of Auditors blocked the Messina Strait bridge project, Italian Ministers met this morning to decide their strategy. Salvini, the Minister responsible, went into the meeting like an enraged lion and emerged like a docile lamb. They clearly told him it was his shitshow & his alone.
October 30, 2025 at 1:55 PM
After Italian Court of Auditors blocked the Messina Strait bridge project, Italian Ministers met this morning to decide their strategy. Salvini, the Minister responsible, went into the meeting like an enraged lion and emerged like a docile lamb. They clearly told him it was his shitshow & his alone.
This is the list of newspapers and magazines available for prisoners under 41-bis to buy >> 14
October 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
This is the list of newspapers and magazines available for prisoners under 41-bis to buy >> 14
Prisoners under 41-bis can receive and spend max. €500 per month (€150 per week) on food, cigarettes, newspapers & magazines, and other articles sold inside the prison. Below you can see a list of food and beverages that can typically be bought (over and above those routinely supplied) >> 13
October 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Prisoners under 41-bis can receive and spend max. €500 per month (€150 per week) on food, cigarettes, newspapers & magazines, and other articles sold inside the prison. Below you can see a list of food and beverages that can typically be bought (over and above those routinely supplied) >> 13
26th October 1954, the city of Trieste is returned to Italy, having been occupied by Anglo-American troops since June 1945.
October 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
26th October 1954, the city of Trieste is returned to Italy, having been occupied by Anglo-American troops since June 1945.
So she was accidentally racist. Can happen to anyone. Especially a racist.
October 27, 2025 at 6:07 PM
So she was accidentally racist. Can happen to anyone. Especially a racist.
Piersanti Mattarella
b. Castellammare del Golfo, 24/05/1935
d. Palermo, 06/01/1980
b. Castellammare del Golfo, 24/05/1935
d. Palermo, 06/01/1980
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Piersanti Mattarella
b. Castellammare del Golfo, 24/05/1935
d. Palermo, 06/01/1980
b. Castellammare del Golfo, 24/05/1935
d. Palermo, 06/01/1980
When he is arrested in 1986, Cristiano Fioravanti recounts that Valerio wants to travel to Sicily to kill Mangiameli's wife and daughter before the body is found. When Cristiano asks why, Valerio tells him he "killed a Sicilian politician" in return for favours and they know about it >> 15
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
When he is arrested in 1986, Cristiano Fioravanti recounts that Valerio wants to travel to Sicily to kill Mangiameli's wife and daughter before the body is found. When Cristiano asks why, Valerio tells him he "killed a Sicilian politician" in return for favours and they know about it >> 15
Falcone suspects that Fioravanti and Cavallini stayed at the Sicilian home of fellow neo-fascist Ciccio Mangiameli, the same man with whom Fioravanti and Francesca Mambro later stayed just days before the Bologna Station bombing >> 13
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Falcone suspects that Fioravanti and Cavallini stayed at the Sicilian home of fellow neo-fascist Ciccio Mangiameli, the same man with whom Fioravanti and Francesca Mambro later stayed just days before the Bologna Station bombing >> 13
Giovanni Falcone's investigation into the Mattarella's murder leads to the surprising conclusion that the gunmen who shoot Matterella in his car in front of his wife, two children and mother-in-law on the morning of 6th January 1980 are Giuseppe Valerio Fioravanti and Gilberto Cavallini >> 11
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Giovanni Falcone's investigation into the Mattarella's murder leads to the surprising conclusion that the gunmen who shoot Matterella in his car in front of his wife, two children and mother-in-law on the morning of 6th January 1980 are Giuseppe Valerio Fioravanti and Gilberto Cavallini >> 11
In 1995 Totò Riina, Michele Greco, Bernardo Brusca, Bernardo Provenzano, Pippo Calò, Francesco Madonia & Nenè Geraci are sentenced to life imprisonment for constituting the 'Commission' that orders the murder. As regards who materially kills Piersanti Mattarella, confusion still reigns >> 10
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
In 1995 Totò Riina, Michele Greco, Bernardo Brusca, Bernardo Provenzano, Pippo Calò, Francesco Madonia & Nenè Geraci are sentenced to life imprisonment for constituting the 'Commission' that orders the murder. As regards who materially kills Piersanti Mattarella, confusion still reigns >> 10
However, Piersanti Mattarella's rise to power coincides with that of Totò Riina, who takes over Cosa Nostra in Palermo with his much more ruthless 'Corleonesi' faction. Their political proxy in Palermo is Vito Ciancimino, supported by Salvo Lima, Andreotti's man in Sicily >> 8
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
However, Piersanti Mattarella's rise to power coincides with that of Totò Riina, who takes over Cosa Nostra in Palermo with his much more ruthless 'Corleonesi' faction. Their political proxy in Palermo is Vito Ciancimino, supported by Salvo Lima, Andreotti's man in Sicily >> 8
The mafia has always preferred more subtle methods of persuasion and intimidation that work on all but the most determined and politicians are rarely killed. Indeed, Michele Reina (murdered in 1979) is the first leading politician to be killed by Cosa Nostra since Emanuele Notarbartolo in 1893 >> 7
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
The mafia has always preferred more subtle methods of persuasion and intimidation that work on all but the most determined and politicians are rarely killed. Indeed, Michele Reina (murdered in 1979) is the first leading politician to be killed by Cosa Nostra since Emanuele Notarbartolo in 1893 >> 7
Mattarella's reform initiatives also draw attention at the national level. In November 1979 President Sandro Pertini, arguably the first President of the Republic to enjoy widespread popularity among Italians, visits Palermo for a special session of the Sicilian Regional Assembly >> 5
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Mattarella's reform initiatives also draw attention at the national level. In November 1979 President Sandro Pertini, arguably the first President of the Republic to enjoy widespread popularity among Italians, visits Palermo for a special session of the Sicilian Regional Assembly >> 5
In March 1979, another Christian Democrat politician, Michele Reina, Party Secretary for the Province of Palermo, is killed by Cosa Nostra because of his refusal to compromise on legality and his moves to find agreement on reforms with the opposition Communist Party >> 3
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
In March 1979, another Christian Democrat politician, Michele Reina, Party Secretary for the Province of Palermo, is killed by Cosa Nostra because of his refusal to compromise on legality and his moves to find agreement on reforms with the opposition Communist Party >> 3
Piersanti Mattarella is one of those rare beasts in Sicily, an honest and principled Christian Democrat politician, at a time when his party in the region is dominated by figures such as Salvo Lima and Vito Ciancimino, who both served as Mayor of Palermo, colluding with the mafia >> 2
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Piersanti Mattarella is one of those rare beasts in Sicily, an honest and principled Christian Democrat politician, at a time when his party in the region is dominated by figures such as Salvo Lima and Vito Ciancimino, who both served as Mayor of Palermo, colluding with the mafia >> 2
As the murder of Piersanti Mattarella in 1980 is in the news due to the arrest of a former senior police officer for allegedly hiding or destroying vital evidence, here I explain the background to the killing and subsequent investigations into one of Italy's many unsolved tragedies [Thread] >> 1
October 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
As the murder of Piersanti Mattarella in 1980 is in the news due to the arrest of a former senior police officer for allegedly hiding or destroying vital evidence, here I explain the background to the killing and subsequent investigations into one of Italy's many unsolved tragedies [Thread] >> 1
Italy, Denmark & Netherlands host meeting in Brussels on "innovative" solutions to migration issues. For "innovative" read paying Libyan militias even more to imprison & torture migrants and increased funding for the Tunisian régime to round up migrants and dump them in the desert to die.
October 24, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Italy, Denmark & Netherlands host meeting in Brussels on "innovative" solutions to migration issues. For "innovative" read paying Libyan militias even more to imprison & torture migrants and increased funding for the Tunisian régime to round up migrants and dump them in the desert to die.
He'll be turning Congress into a casino next. He might as well given its current futility.
October 22, 2025 at 8:52 PM
He'll be turning Congress into a casino next. He might as well given its current futility.
No alarm bells ringing in American minds yet?
October 21, 2025 at 12:55 PM
No alarm bells ringing in American minds yet?