I’m publishing the interview I gave to La Stampa on the topic of spying on the magistrates by the Secret Services.

LaStampa: Minister, let’s take a step back. Tell us about the time when the 007 were after you.
Antonio di Pietro: Well, without wanting to tar everyone with the same brush, and always thinking of the institutions, it is true that in the Secret Services there are certain media, they use certain methods, and there’s such a glow of irresponsibility, that it seems like a TV film.
And if there isn’t professional maturity, there’s the danger, given the thirst for power of some people, in fact let’s call it intoxication, well there’s the danger that they go beyond their institutional roles.

LaStampa: Spying on the magistrates….
Antonio di Pietro: Exactly. I personally have lived from this point of view, with excessive attention from some officials of GICO in the Finance Police.
Proposals that were absolute fantasy. Mountains of dossiers. Anonymous letters.
I had to suffer a lot of wrongs. And I managed to defend myself because I came from that experience that you know about. But just think of an ordinary person. You can be throttled by how they dress you up.
The Secret Services are a fundamental weapon, but really dangerous. A bit like a scalpel, indispensable for surgeons, but if you want to kill your wife it’s deadly.

LaStampa: As a Pool, you were in the sights of Sisde, right?
Antonio di Pietro: At that time, I and my colleagues have suffered everything and still more. It was discovered that some people reported to certain leaders in the institutions.
In my case, then, Bettino Craxi, to justify the knowledge and the illegitimate use of my telephone traffic, said that he had received the data from a police chief, from the Prefect Vincenzo Parisi who in the meantime had also died.

LaStampa: So basically, you the important prosecutor investigating Tangentopoli, were spied upon by all of them: Finance police, police, Sisde, and Sismi. Is there anyone missing?
Antonio di Pietro: «Craxi, with his cockiness, he admitted it openly.

LaStampa: Thinking of the present, what do you think of Sismi who once more were spying on the magistrates? Do you see this as the initiative of a thoughtless individual or do you see it as a directive from on high?
Antonio di Pietro: There’s no doubt that this “service” performed by parts of the Service (excuse the play on words), has been done at the request of someone who could ask for it. I repeat, in my case, the request came directly from Craxi. However it is still true that these are illegitimate requests.
But anyway, it’s known, when career progression is in play, or reconfirming of certain positions, these choices depend on those with power in their hands, then unrestrained ambitions are met and the buying and selling of favours takes place.

LaStampa: Excuse me, Di Pietro, so even you think that the top brass of those days are responsible. The famous Nicolò Pollari, the former director of Sismi.
But didn’t you defend him?
Antonio di Pietro: I defend the institutions. With Nicolò Pollari, as with Roberto Speciale, I say that there can’t be this dichotomy. On the one hand it is said that they have committed serious acts but at the same time they are allowed to hold really privileged positions.
This tactic has a short life. Coherence is needed. In relation to Pollari, anyway, I voted against in the Council of Ministers, when the Government imposed State Secrecy on the Abu Omar investigation.
No. The magistrates should be helped to investigate not be obstructed! And I’m not happy that they have been criminalised in front of the Constitutional Court.