Bernardo Provenzano
Provenzano on the day of his arrest
Born	January 31, 1933 (1933-01-31) (age 75) Corleone, Sicily

Bernardo Provenzano (born January 31, 1933 in Corleone, Italy) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra) and is suspected of having been the head of the Corleonesi, a Mafia faction that originated in the village of Corleone, and de facto capo di tutti capi (boss of bosses) of the entire Sicilian Mafia until his arrest in 2006 after more than four decades on the run. Image File history File links Provenzano_1. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Corleone is a small town of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Corleone is a small town of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... Luciano Leggio at a court appearance in 1974 Totò Riina, amidst tight security, appears in court following his capture in January 1993 The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Mafia in the 1980s and the 1990s. ... Corleone is a small town of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

His nickname is Binnu u tratturi (Sicilian for "Binnie the tractor") because, in the words of one informant, 'he mows people down'. Another nickname is The Accountant due to his apparently subtle and low-key approach to running his crime empire, at least in contrast to some of his more violent predecessors. Sicilian (, Italian: ) is a Romance language. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Biography

Early years

Bernardo Provenzano in 1959, aged 26.

He was raised in Corleone, the third of seven brothers, born to peasants. Provenzano left school without finishing primary, and worked in the fields. He joined the Mafia in his late teens. At the time, Michele Navarra was the head of the Mafia Family of Corleone, but Provenzano became close to Luciano Leggio, a young and ambitious mobster. Navarra and Leggio went to war against each other in the mid-1950s. This article is about the criminal society. ... Dr. Michele Navarra (1905 - August 2, 1958) was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Luciano Leggio (January 6, 1925 – November 16, 1993) was an Italian criminal and leading figure of the Sicilian Mafia. ...

In September 1958, Provenzano was one of the 14 gunmen who backed Leggio in the ambush and murder of Michele Navarra. Leggio subsequently became the head of the Family. Over the next five years, Provenzano helped Leggio hunt down and kill many of Navarra's surviving supporters. In May 1963, Provenzano went on the run after a failed hit on one of Navarra’s men – at this point he was not running from the police, but from mafia vendetta. Around this time, Leggio made his famous remark about Provenzano: "He shoots like a god, shame he has the brains of a chicken..." On September 10, 1963 an arrest warrant was issued against Provenzano for the murder of one of Navarra's men. Provenzano now also had to run from the police along with most of the rest of the Corleonesi. Leggio went to prison for murder in 1974, effectively leaving Totò Riina in charge. Provenzano became the second in command of the Corleonesi, Riina's right-hand-man. is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Luciano Leggio at a court appearance in 1974 Totò Riina, amidst tight security, appears in court following his capture in January 1993 The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Mafia in the 1980s and the 1990s. ... Salvatore Riina Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930) is one of the most infamous members of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Luciano Leggio at a court appearance in 1974 Totò Riina, amidst tight security, appears in court following his capture in January 1993 The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Mafia in the 1980s and the 1990s. ...

Provenzano participated in the Viale Lazio massacre on December 10, 1969: the killing of Michele Cavataio for his double-crossing role in the First Mafia War. The attack nearly went wrong and Cavataio was able to shoot and kill Calogero Bagarella (an elder brother of Leoluca Bagarella the brother-in-law of Totò Riina). According to legend, Provenzano saved the situation with his Beretta 38/A submachine gun and earned himself a reputation as a Mafia killer with the attack.^[1] However, according to Gaetano Grado, one of the participants who turned government witness later, it was Provenzano who messed up the attack, shooting too early.^[2] is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Michele Cavataio (died December 10, 1969, Palermo), also known as The Cobra was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... The MAB 38 and its variants were the official submachine guns of the Italian Army during World War II. The MAB (Moschetto Automatico Beretta) 1938A was introduced in 1938. ...

During Riina's time as godfather, Provenzano was believed to operate behind the scenes, dealing with the financial side of the criminal enterprises that he and Riina orchestrated, particularly heroin trafficking. It is not known to what extent that he participated in the Second Mafia War of 1981/82, initiated by Riina, which left over a thousand Mafiosi dead and resulted in the Corleonesi becoming the dominant Mafia faction in Sicily. For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... The Second Mafia War was a conflict within the Sicilian Mafia, mostly taking place in the early 1980s. ... Luciano Leggio at a court appearance in 1974 Totò Riina, amidst tight security, appears in court following his capture in January 1993 The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Mafia in the 1980s and the 1990s. ...

Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, Provenzano created a private fiefdom in Bagheria, a once-glorious suburb of Palermo. In his stronghold, mafiosi met and handed out construction contracts, buying silence and loyalty. One long-time loyal collaborator of Provenzano’s described the boss’s residence in the 18th century villa Valguarnera: "a beautiful place, classical style, where Provenzano lived in hiding, peacefully with his family... He used to get taken to meetings in an ambulance." Bagheria is a town of approximately 40,000 inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... Location of the city of Palermo (red dot) within Italy. ...

Elevation to Godfather

Salvatore Riina was arrested in January 1993 and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for ordering dozens of murders, including the two high-profile bombings that killed prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Falcone and Borsellino had been in charge of the Maxi Trial in the mid-1980s. Provenzano was also convicted of the same murders, in absentia. Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... Giovanni Falcone during the Maxi Trial Giovanni Falcone, (May 18, 1939 – May 23, 1992) was an Italian magistrate who specialised in prosecuting Cosa Nostra crimes. ... Paolo Borsellino (January 19, 1940 - July 19, 1992) was an Italian anti-Mafia magistrate. ... Giovanni Falcone, one of the architects of the Maxi Trial. ...

It was not immediately clear that Provenzano had succeeded Riina. He hadn't been publicly seen since 1963, and when his wife and two grown sons came out from hiding in 1992, many then suspected that Provenzano was dead, from natural causes or otherwise. Informants subsequently claimed otherwise, saying that after Riina's arrest in 1993, Provenzano became the boss of the Corleonesi. It is said that two other mobsters, Leoluca Bagarella and Giovanni Brusca, challenged his leadership, but, even if they succeeded, they were both captured and imprisoned in 1995 and 1996 respectively. Luciano Leggio at a court appearance in 1974 Totò Riina, amidst tight security, appears in court following his capture in January 1993 The Corleonesi is the name given to a faction within the Sicilian Mafia that dominated Mafia in the 1980s and the 1990s. ... Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Giovanni Brusca (born 1957 in San Giuseppe Jato) is a former member of the Sicilian Mafia. ...

Under Provenzano leadership, the Mafia became less bloodthirsty and more efficient. Provenzano is reported to have tried to arbitrate between rival mafia factions competing for business, and steered away from the attacks on high-profile figures that were hardening public opinion against the Mafia and provoking police to respond. He was a careful operator, who took few overt risks, revealing his whereabouts to only a handful of associates. He shunned the telephone and issued orders and communications (even to his family) through small, hand-delivered notes— "pizzini". Note: the information below is a summary of a single source, two April 2006 articles by Discovery Channel News, which in turn source the Italian daily La Stampa Pizzino (pl. ...

Curiously many of the notes from Provenzano that police have intercepted sign off with religious blessings, such as one that concluded "May the Lord bless and protect you." Coincidentally, according to mob godmother-turned-informant Giuseppina Vitale, Provenzano then appeared at a 1992 Cosa Nostra summit meeting dressed in the purple robes of a Catholic bishop.^[3] Charles Lucky Luciano, one of the most famous American bosses (La) Cosa Nostra (our thing or this thing of ours in Italian) is a worldwide alliance of criminals, linked through both familial and conspiratorial ties, that is dedicated to pursuing crime and protecting its members. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article...

Evasion and capture

Provenzano was a fugitive from the law from the time of his indictment for murder in 1963 until his arrest in 2006. It is theorized that he was on the run longer than any other criminal, an unparalleled 43 years. Until his arrest, the only known photographs of him were taken during the 1950s. The authorities had reportedly been 'close' to capturing him for the last decade of his time on the run, though those who believed it was impossible for one man to remain undetected for such a long time under normal circumstances, especially on a relatively small island like Sicily, theorized that 'Uncle Bernie', as he is known to his friends, had a tacit understanding with the Italian authorities, under which he was not harassed. Indeed, the fact that his predecessor, Totò Riina, was finally arrested at his home address after supposedly being 'on the run' for nearly twenty years, lent credence to this theory. Salvatore Riina Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930) is one of the most infamous members of the Sicilian Mafia. ...

There is proof that in 2002 he traveled to France, despite being a fugitive, and underwent a surgical operation in Marseille for a prostate tumor, even being reimbursed by the Italian National Health Care system. DNA evidence subsequently confirmed his presence at the surgery in question. City flag Coat of arms Motto: By her great deeds, the city of Massilia shines The Old Port of Marseille Location Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Coordinates Administration Country Region Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Department Bouches-du-Rhône (13) Subdivisions 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) Intercommunality Urban... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ...

On January 25, 2005, police raided various homes in Sicily and arrested forty-six Mafia suspects believed to be helping Provenzano elude the authorities.^[4] Although they did not catch the elusive Mafia boss himself, investigators nonetheless unearthed evidence that 72-year-old Provenzano was still very much alive and in control of the Mafia, in the form of his cryptic handwritten notes, his preferred method of giving orders to his men. Two months later another raid, which netted over eighty Mafiosi took place, although yet again Provenzano was not amongst those captured.^[5] However, Mafia informers said Provenzano moved between farmhouses in the region every two or three nights to evade capture. Tracing him was difficult because the authorities did not have an up-to-date photograph with which to identify him. The nearest likeness in their possession was a computer-generated image that attempted to predict the effects of aging on a photograph of Provenzano as a younger man. is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Provenzano was finally captured on April 11, 2006 by the Italian police near his home town, Corleone.^[6] A spokesman for the Palermo police, Agent Daniele Macaluso, said Provenzano had been arrested during the morning near Corleone, 37 miles south of Palermo and was being driven back to the Sicilian capital.^{[7] [8] [9]} The police were able to pinpoint Provezano's exact location by the simplest of connections; they tracked a delivery of clean laundry from his family to the farmhouse he was hiding out in. His arrest briefly pushed the climax of Italy's general election from the main headlines on Italian news stations. is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Corleone is a small town of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. ... A general election for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy was held on April 9 and April 10, 2006. ...

After initially denying it, Provenzano admitted his identity, but has reportedly said little else since his arrest. A trial is not necessary as he has already been convincted in absentia of many murders, including those of Falcone and Borsellino, and has many life sentences to serve. Look up trial in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

On May 2, 2006, he appeared via a video-link from his jail in a trial concerning Mafia murders committed in Italy in the 1980s. He was being held in isolation at a high security jail in Terni, central Italy. Provenzano was shown on screen in the court alongside the man accused of being his predecessor as Mafia boss, Toto 'u curtu' (Shorty) Riina. As part of the tough prison regime reserved for Mafia convicts, he is under constant video surveillance and is only allowed contact with his lawyer. is the 122nd day of the year (123rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Terni, (Latin: Interamna Nahars) an ancient town of Italy, capital of Terni province in southern Umbria, 42°33N, 12°39E, at 130 meters (427 ft) above sea-level in the plain of the Nera river. ...

Provenzano's new Mafia

Provenzano proposed a new less violent Mafia strategy instead of the terrorist bombing campaign in 1993 against the state to get them to back off in their crackdown against the Mafia after the murders on Anti-mafia prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Following the months after Riina's arrest, there were a series of bombings by the Corleonesi against several tourist spots on the Italian mainland – the Via dei Georgofili in Florence, Via Palestro in Milan and the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano and Via San Teodoro in Rome, which left 10 people dead and 93 injured as well as severe damage to centres of cultural heritage such as the Uffizi Gallery. Giovanni Falcone during the Maxi Trial Giovanni Falcone, (May 18, 1939 – May 23, 1992) was an Italian magistrate who specialised in prosecuting Cosa Nostra crimes. ... Paolo Borsellino (January 19, 1940 - July 19, 1992) was an Italian anti-Mafia magistrate. ... Florence (or Firenze, Florentia and Fiorenza) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and of the province of Florence. ... Type Anti-tank Nationality Joint France/Germany Era Cold War, modern Launch platform Individual, Vehicle Target Vehicle, Fortification History Builder MBDA, Bharat Dynamics (under license) Date of design 70s Production period since 1972 Service duration since 1972 Operators 41 countries Variants MILAN 1, MILAN 2, MILAN 2T, MILAN 3, MILAN... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... The narrow courtyard between the Uffizis two wings creates the effect of a short, idealized street. ...

Provenzano's new guidelines were patience, compartmentalisation, coexistence with state institutions, and systematic infiltration of public finance. The diplomatic Provenzano tried to stem the flow of pentiti by not targeting their families, only using violence in case of absolute necessity. Provenzano reportedly re-established the old Mafia rules that had been abolished by Totò Riina under his very eyes when, together with Riina and Leoluca Bagarella, he was ruling the Corleonesi faction. Tommaso Buscetta (in sunglasses), the first important pentito of Italian Mafia, escorted in a court of law. ... Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ...

Giovanni Brusca – one of Riina's hitmen who personally detonated the bomb that killed Falcone, and later became an informant after his 1996 arrest – has offered a controversial version of the capture of Totò Riina: a secret deal between Carabinieri officers, secret agents and Cosa Nostra bosses tired of the dictatorship of the Corleonesi. According to Brusca, Provenzano "sold" Riina in exchange for the valuable archive of compromising material that Riina held in his apartment in Via Bernini 52 in Palermo. Giovanni Brusca (born 1957 in San Giuseppe Jato) is a former member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... The Carabinieri are the military police of Italy. ...

Apparently, the Sicilian Mafia at present is divided between those bosses who support a hard line against the Italian state – mainly bosses currently in jail such as Salvatore 'Totò' Riina and Leoluca Bagarella – and those who support the more moderate strategy of Provenzano. The incarcerated bosses are currently subjected to harsh controls on their contact with the outside world, limiting their ability to run their operations from behind bars under the article 41-bis prison regime. (The human-rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern that the 41-bis regime could in some circumstances amount to "cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment" for prisoners.) Salvatore Riina Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930) is one of the most infamous members of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience...

Antonino Giuffrè – a close confidant of Provenzano, turned pentito shortly after his capture in April 2002 – alleges that in 1993, Cosa Nostra had direct contact with representatives of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi while he was planning the birth of Forza Italia. The deal that he says was alleged to have been made was a repeal of 41 bis, among other anti-Mafia laws in return for delivering electoral gains in Sicily. Giuffrè's declarations have not been confirmed. Mafia turncoat Antonino Giuffrè Antonino Nino Giuffrè (Caccamo, July 21, 1945) is a Sicilian mafioso from Caccamo in the Province of Palermo. ... Tommaso Buscetta (in sunglasses), the first important pentito of Italian Mafia, escorted in a court of law. ... Charles Lucky Luciano, one of the most famous American bosses (La) Cosa Nostra (our thing or this thing of ours in Italian) is a worldwide alliance of criminals, linked through both familial and conspiratorial ties, that is dedicated to pursuing crime and protecting its members. ...   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ...

During a court appearance in July 2002, Leoluca Bagarella suggested unnamed politicians had failed to maintain agreements with the Mafia over prison conditions. "We are tired of being exploited, humiliated, harassed and used as merchandise by political factions," he said. Nevertheless, the Italian Parliament, with the support of Forza Italia, subsequently prolonged the enforcement of 41 bis, which was to expire in 2002, for another four years and extended it to other crimes such as terrorism. However, according to one of Italy’s leading magazines, L’Espresso, 119 mafiosi – one-fifth of those incarcerated under the 41-bis regime – have been released on an individual basis.^[10] Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ...

Division within Cosa Nostra

In 2002 a rift within Cosa Nostra became clear. On the one hand there were the hardline "Corleonesi" in jail – led by Totò Riina and Leoluca Bagarella – and on the other the more moderate "Palermitani" – led by Provenzano and Antonino Giuffrè, Salvatore Lo Piccolo and Matteo Messina Denaro. Apparently the arrest of Giuffrè in April 2002 was made possible by an anonymous phone call that seems to have been made by loyalists to the Mafia hardliners Riina and Bagarella. The purpose was to send a message to Provenzano. The incarcerated bosses wanted something to be done about the harsh prison conditions (in particular the relaxation of the 41-bis incarceration regime) – and were believed to be orchestrating a return to violence while serving multiple life sentences. Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... Leoluca Bagarella (born 1941) is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Mafia turncoat Antonino Giuffrè Antonino Nino Giuffrè (Caccamo, July 21, 1945) is a Sicilian mafioso from Caccamo in the Province of Palermo. ... Mug shot of Salvatore Lo Piccolo Salvatore Lo Piccolo (Palermo, July 20, 1942), also known as the Baron (il Barone), is a Sicilian mafioso and one of the most powerful bosses of Palermo, Sicily. ... Matteo Messina Denaro AKA Diabolik (April 26, 1962 - ) is a Sicilian mafioso. ...

Targets were to have been Marcello Dell'Utri and former Defence Minister Cesare Previti, both close advisors of then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, according to a leaked report of the intelligence service SISDE. Riina and Bagarella felt betrayed by political allies in Rome, who had promised to help pass laws to ease prison conditions and reduce sentences for its jailed members in exchange for Mafia support at the polls. The SISDE report says they believed that hits on either of the two embattled members of Berlusconi's Forza Italia party — each under separate criminal indictments — would have been less likely to provoke the kind of public outrage and police crackdown that followed the 1992 murders of the widely admired Sicilian prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.^[11] Marcello DellUtri (born Palermo, 11 September 1941), Italian politician. ... Cesare Previti (born on October 21, 1934) is a former Italian Defence Minister. ...   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... Giovanni Falcone during the Maxi Trial Giovanni Falcone, (May 18, 1939 – May 23, 1992) was an Italian magistrate who specialised in prosecuting Cosa Nostra crimes. ... Paolo Borsellino (January 19, 1940 - July 19, 1992) was an Italian anti-Mafia magistrate. ...

When Provenzano was moved to the high security prison in Terni, Totò Riina’s son Giovanni Riina, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for three murders, yelled that Provenzano was a "sbirro" – a popular Italian pejorative expression for a police officer – when Provenzano entered the cell block. The pentito Antonino Giuffrè has said in October 2005 that there had been rumours within Cosa Nostra that Provenzano was an informer for the Carabinieri while he was on the run.^[12] Terni, (Latin: Interamna Nahars) an ancient town of Italy, capital of Terni province in southern Umbria, 42°33N, 12°39E, at 130 meters (427 ft) above sea-level in the plain of the Nera river. ... Mafia turncoat Antonino Giuffrè Antonino Nino Giuffrè (Caccamo, July 21, 1945) is a Sicilian mafioso from Caccamo in the Province of Palermo. ...

Succession

After the arrest of Bernardo Provenzano on April 11, 2006 – on the same day as Romano Prodi's victory in the 2006 Italian general election against Silvio Berlusconi – several mafiosi were mentioned as Provenzano's successor. Among the rivals were Matteo Messina Denaro (from Castelvetrano and the province of Trapani), Salvatore Lo Piccolo (boss of Tommaso Natale area and the mandamento of San Lorenzo in Palermo), and Domenico Raccuglia from Altofonte. Provenzano allegedly nominated Messina Denaro in one of his pizzini – small slips of paper used to communicate with other mafiosi to avoid phone conversations, found at Provenzano's hide out. is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Prodi redirects here. ... A general election for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy was held on April 9 and April 10, 2006. ...   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... Matteo Messina Denaro AKA Diabolik (April 26, 1962 - ) is a Sicilian mafioso. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Trapani (TP) Mayor Giovanni Pompeo (since December 10, 2001) Elevation 187 m Area 206 km² Population  - Total (as of 2004) 30,369  - Density 132/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Castelvetranesi Dialing code 0924 Postal code 91022 Frazioni Triscina di Selinunte, Marinella di... Mug shot of Salvatore Lo Piccolo Salvatore Lo Piccolo (Palermo, July 20, 1942), also known as the Baron (il Barone), is a Sicilian mafioso and one of the most powerful bosses of Palermo, Sicily. ... Historically a mandamento was the part of Italian territory under the jurisdiction of a pretore which is a kind of magistrate. ... San Lorenzo is Italian and Spanish for Saint Lawrence. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Province of Palermo (PA) Mayor Elevation 350 m Area 35. ... Note: the information below is a summary of a single source, two April 2006 articles by Discovery Channel News, which in turn source the Italian daily La Stampa Pizzino (pl. ...

This presupposes that Provenzano has the power to nominate a successor, which is not unanimously accepted among Mafia observers. "The Mafia today is more of a federation and less of an authoritarian state," according to anti-Mafia prosecutor Antonio Ingroia of the Direzione distrettuale antimafia (DDA) of Palermo, referring to the previous period of authoritarian rule under Salvatore Riina. Provenzano "established a kind of directorate of about four to seven people who met very infrequently, only when necessary, when there were strategic decisions to make." ^[13] Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ...

According to Ingroia "in an organization like the Mafia, a boss has to be one step above the others otherwise it all falls apart. It all depends on if he can manage consensus and if the others agree or rebel." Provenzano "guaranteed a measure of stability because he had the authority to quash internal disputes." Among the members of the directorate were Salvatore Lo Piccolo; Antonino Giuffrè from Caccamo; Benedetto Spera from Belmonte Mezzagno; Salvatore Rinella from Trabia; Giuseppe Balsano from Monreale; Matteo Messina Denaro from Castelvetrano; Vincenzo Virga from Trapani; and Andrea Manciaracina from Mazara del Vallo.^[14] Mug shot of Salvatore Lo Piccolo Salvatore Lo Piccolo (Palermo, July 20, 1942), also known as the Baron (il Barone), is a Sicilian mafioso and one of the most powerful bosses of Palermo, Sicily. ... Mafia turncoat Antonino Giuffrè Antonino Nino Giuffrè (Caccamo, July 21, 1945) is a Sicilian mafioso from Caccamo in the Province of Palermo. ... Caccamo is a town located on the Tyrrhenian Coast of Sicily. ... Benedetto Spera was the right-hand-man to Sicilian Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano and one of the most feared and respected men in the Sicilian Mafia until his arrest in January of 2001. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Province of Palermo (PA) Mayor Elevation 50 m Area 20. ... The apse of the cathedral of Monreale Monreale is a small city in the province of Palermo, in Sicily, Italy. ... Matteo Messina Denaro AKA Diabolik (April 26, 1962 - ) is a Sicilian mafioso. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Trapani (TP) Mayor Giovanni Pompeo (since December 10, 2001) Elevation 187 m Area 206 km² Population  - Total (as of 2004) 30,369  - Density 132/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Castelvetranesi Dialing code 0924 Postal code 91022 Frazioni Triscina di Selinunte, Marinella di... Trapani is a city on the west coast of Sicily in Italy. ... Mazara del Vallo is a town in South-Western Sicily, Italy, which lies mainly on the left bank at the mouth of the Mazaro river, administratively part of the province of Trapani. ...

After the arrests of Benedetto Spera, Vincenzo Virga (both in 2001) and Antonino Giuffrè in 2002 (who decided to cooperate with the authorities), the leadership of Cosa Nostra was in the hands of the fugitives Bernardo Provenzano, Salvatore Lo Piccolo and Matteo Messina Denaro. Following Provenzano's capture in April 2006, Italy's intelligence service report warned of "emerging tensions" between mafia groups as a result of Provenzano's failure to designate either Salvatore Lo Piccolo or Matteo Messina Denaro as his successor. The Antimafia Investigative Directorate (DIA) cautioned that the capture of Provenzano could potentially present mafia leaders an opportunity to return to violence as a means of expressing their power.^[15] Mug shot of Salvatore Lo Piccolo Salvatore Lo Piccolo (Palermo, July 20, 1942), also known as the Baron (il Barone), is a Sicilian mafioso and one of the most powerful bosses of Palermo, Sicily. ... Matteo Messina Denaro AKA Diabolik (April 26, 1962 - ) is a Sicilian mafioso. ...

Two months after Provenzano’s arrest, on June 20, 2006, authorities issued 52 arrest warrants against the top echelon of Cosa Nostra in the city of Palermo (Operation Gotha). Study of the pizzini showed that Provenzano’s joint deputies in Palermo were Salvatore Lo Piccolo and Antonio Rotolo, capo-mandamento of Pagliarelli. In a message referring to an important decision for Cosa Nostra, Provenzano told Rotolo: "It's up to you, me and Lo Piccolo to decide this thing." ^[16] is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Note: the information below is a summary of a single source, two April 2006 articles by Discovery Channel News, which in turn source the Italian daily La Stampa Pizzino (pl. ... Antonio Rotolo (Palermo, January 3, 1946) is a Mafia boss form the Pagliarelli area in Palermo that traditionally was under the control of the Motisi Mafia family. ...

The investigations showed that Rotolo had built a kind of federation within the mafia, comprising 13 families grouped in four clans. His right-hand men were Antonio Cinà – who used to be the personal physician of Salvatore Riina and Provenzano – and the builder Francesco Bonura. The city of Palermo was ruled by this triumvirate replacing the Commission whose members are all in jail. Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ...

What emerged as well was that the position of Salvatore Lo Piccolo was not undisputed. Authorities said they avoided the outbreak of a genuine war inside Cosa Nostra. The first clash would have been between Rotolo and Lo Piccolo. What sparked off the crisis was a request from the Inzerillo family, one of the clans whose leaders – among them Salvatore Inzerillo – were killed by the Corleonesi during the Second Mafia War in the 1980s and which are now in exile in the United States. Rotolo had passed a death sentence on Lo Piccolo and his son, Sandro, even before Provenzano's arrest – and even procured the barrels of acid that are used to dissolve the bodies of slain rivals.^[17] Salvatore Inzerillo (died May 11, 1981) was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. ...

References

• Dickie, John (2004). Cosa Nostra. A history of the Sicilian Mafia, London: Coronet, ISBN 0-340-82435-2
• Jamieson, Alison (2000). The Antimafia. Italy's fight against organized crime, London: MacMillan Press Ltd ISBN 0-333-80158-X
• (Italian) Oliva, Ernesto & Salvo Palazzolo (2001). L’altra mafia: Biografia di Bernardo Provenzano, Soveria Mannelli (CZ): Rubbettino Editore.
• Stille, Alexander (1995).Excellent Cadavers. The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic, New York: Vintage ISBN 0-09-959491-9

Allexander Stillé is an American author and journalist. ...

External links

• (Italian) A biography of Provenzano
• Provenzano at Gangsters Inc.
• The Guardian: Gangster No 1, April 24, 2001
• Time Europe Magazine: Sicily's Invisible Man, August 29, 2004
• Profile from the BBC, April 11, 2006
• Experts: Provenzano capture not the end of the Sicilian mob, by Eric J. Lyman, USA Today, April 12, 2006
• Prosecutors fear capture of mafia boss will spark bloody war of succession, by John Hooper, The Guardian, April 13, 2006
• The Sopranos? No, the Shepherds, by Federico Varese, The Times, April 14, 2006
• In search of the real Godfather, by Peter Popham, The Independent, June 4, 2006
• Short clip from "Scacco al Re" from RAI tv.