Gladio (Italy)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
no
|
| PGM ID Number: |
224
|
| Country: |
Italy |
| Date formed: |
Jan. 1, 1947 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
year
|
| Details of Formation: |
The group was set up as early as 1947 with help from the CIA and British intelligence. |
| Date dissolved: |
Oct. 28, 1990 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
year
|
| Details of Termination: |
The group was discovered and exposed by an Italian judge in 1990, causing shock waves around Europe. |
| Termination Type(s): |
none
|
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): |
none
|
| Successor group(s): |
none
|
| Private Military Company? |
no |
| Former Group? |
no |
| Former Armed Group? |
no information |
| Former Rebel Group? |
no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? |
no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: |
unclear (type 1 or 2) |
| Created by the Government?: |
yes |
Main Creating Government Institution: |
person/minister
|
| Government Link(s): |
state (institution)
|
| If link to party, name of party: |
None |
| Training and Equipment: |
yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: |
no information |
| Shared Personnel: |
yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: |
Foreign government
|
| State Sponsor(s): |
United States; United Kingdom
|
| Other Connection(s): |
NATO |
Group Characteristics
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Membership: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: |
not applicable
|
| Ethnic Purpose: |
none
|
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: |
not applicable
|
Other Information
| Other Information: |
There was a training base in Sardinia and 139 arms caches were buried around Italy. There were possible but unconfirmed links to a secret masonic lodge type organization called P-2 who counted cabinet ministers, MPs and military officers as members. The PGM was accused of orchestrating a series of bombings attributed to Italian left-wing parties. The network of groups may have some semi-official status within the intelligence community. But this status was instead hidden even from some domestic governments and prime ministers. The groups were ultimately answerable to NATO-CIA rather than to domestic governments in event of attack by members of the Warsaw Pact. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The group was intended as a fighting force prepared to counter a possible Warsaw Pact invasion. In this case, it was meant to conduct guerilla warfare and sabotage activities. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
faster mobilization; deniability of violence
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
|
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
unknown
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
no information |
| PGM Members Paid? |
no information |
| Reasons for Membership: |
Military personnel and civilians were both targeted for recruitment. |
| PGM Members Killed? |
no information |
PGM Size
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
The group trained with the US Green Berets and the British Special Air Services (SAS) and was equipped from underground arms caches. In Italy there was a training base in Sardinia. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
The PGM was coordinated by NATO and run by the Italian secret intelligence service in close cooperation with the CIA and British Secret Intelligence Service. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Ganser, Daniele. 2006. “The Ghost of Machiavelli: An Approach to Operation Gladio and Terrorism in Cold War Italy” Crime Law and Social Change 45(2): 111 – 154.
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.
Wikipedia. Operation Gladio. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Gladio&oldid=763490893
Evidence
