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Abstract

The Italian state faced ideologically motivated political violence from groups representing the far-right and far-left between 1969 and 1989. Inside Italy this period became known as the anni di piombo — years of lead. While the level of violence was generally lower than that in Northern Ireland or in the Spanish Basque Country it was still of importance.1 Because of its ideological nature Italian terrorism was directly aimed at the destruction of the post-war democracy that had developed in Italy. This meant that the very nature and existence of the state was under attack.

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Notes

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© 1998 Michael von Tangen Page

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von Page, M.T. (1998). Italy, 1969–97. In: Prisons, Peace and Terrorism. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230376045_4

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