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Witness History: Italy's 'State-within-a-State'

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19/06/2017 GMT

Italy's 'State-within-a-State'

BBC World Service - Witness History, Italy's 'State-within-a-State'

In 1982 Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found dead in London in mysterious circumstances

In 1982, the body of  Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging beneath a bridge in London. It was the latest twist in a drama that had gripped Italy for more than a year.

On 19th June 1982, the body of  Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging beneath a bridge in London. It was the latest twist in a drama that had gripped Italy for more than a year involving a mysterious masonic lodge, whose members included many of the most powerful men in Italy, and which stretched all the way to the mafia and to the Catholic church. Louise Hidalgo has been talking to retired magistrate Giuliano Turone who helped discover this secret state-within-a-state, and to journalist Leo Sisti who reported on it.

Picture: Robert Calvi, head of Banco Ambrosiano, who was convicted of fraud but released on appeal shortly before his death (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

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