- Forest fires that devastated the Italian countryside
this summer were started by the Mafia, an Italian government minister has
claimed.
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- It is believed the gangsters hope to muscle in on property
and reconstruction deals or insurance pay-outs by starting the fires, which
were fuelled by this summer's heatwave and prolonged drought.
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- Blazes consumed 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) from the
tourist resorts of Sardinia to the Amalfi coast in the south, said the
Interior Minister, Giuseppe Pisanu.
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- "The dramatic experiences of these last few weeks
point to a real and existing 'fire industry'," he said.
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- Authorities were investigating the possibility that the
fires were started by an "eco-Mafia better known for its illegal waste
disposal operations, he added. An estimated 11 million tonnes of industrial
waste disappear yearly in a multi-billion-euro racket. Illegal construction
schemes on protected land have also raised concerns for historical and
natural sites.
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- Earlier this week police accused the Naples-based Mafia,
known as the Camorra, of burning down a pine forest park in Castelfusano,
a coastal town west of Rome.
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- Police say the fire was started by a chemical element
and suspect the Camorra either wanted to get its hands on a reforestation
contract or wanted to intimidate the company managing the park.
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- Mr Pisanu warned that changes would have to be made to
environmental laws to ensure that "eco-crimes" don't grow out
of control.
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- Across Italy, more than 100,000 firefighters rushed to
put out 1,643 blazes in June and July, and spot fires have continued to
consume northern forests and coastal parks.
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- © 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
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- http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=434453
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