ABSTRACT: A collection of documents on the radicals' libertarian antifascism: to recognize fascism means to understand what it has been and above all what it can be. Apparent antifascism too often hides a complicity with those who represented the true continuity with fascism, the reprise of laws and methods typical of that regime. (" WE AND THE FASCISTS", The radicals' libertarian antifascism, edited by Valter Vecellio, preface by Giuseppe Rippa - Quaderni Radicali/1, November 1980)

In October 1975 Ventura presented an appeal to the European

Convention on Human Rights denouncing the violation of his constitutional rights. He then had recourse to the Non-Violent League of Convicts which agreed to support his case.

On January 5, 1976 he sent this letter to the Secretary and Vice Secretary of the Radical Party:

Dear Spadaccia and dear Cicciomessere,

I have been late in reading your declarations of September 14, 1975 published by "Il Giorno" regarding the attorneys De Cataldo's and Mellini's legal defence of certain junkers of Avanguardia Nazionale (a far-right Fascist group, ed.)

In reality "freedom does not admit of exceptions"; nor does the equal right to freedom.

But explain to me then how it is that the right to equal treatment has been denied to me for years and the most iniquitous

and unheard-of length of custody pending trial inflicted on me that any European judicial system has ever allowed without provoking any civil protest whereas my co-defendants for the same charges enjoy the constitutional protection of articles 3, 13, 24 and 27 of the Constitution. And explain to me why, if "freedom does not admit of exceptions", you have not yet considered intervening and demanding the respect of democratic guarantees with regard to my right to freedom. Why have you not asked that I be given the same freedom already granted to Merlino, Valpreda and others.

And why was the secretary of a group close to the Radical Party - the Non-Violent Socialist League of Convicts - censored during the course of an assembly in Milan when he tried to put my case on the agenda in strictly legal terms of guarantees ; and subsequently this was taken up again by the national secretary of the PR.

Do you say that you will not lend yourselves to "the judicial operations of a regime intent on holding several trials of opinion and ideology against a number of neo-Fascist groups in order to avoid the innumerable trials regarding the massacres involving state organs that took place from 1969 onwards which would indicate the collective responsibility of several neo-Fascist figures and groups, but also the more serious responsibility of separate corps, secret services, general staffs and ministers?"

Avanguardia Nazionale is not a cultural society and not even an opinion group or a research centre or a spontaneous group. It is a band of praetorians, in great part mercenaries (at least in its centralised top levels); it is the neo-Fascist arm which the moderate critics have used since 1969, with its military servants, to actuate an attempt at constitutional revision and the restoration of authoritarianism. There is no doubt about the exploitation of several political processes, and the one regarding A.N. was polluted at birth on the basis of a Rome police headquarters report which even passed off Giannettini, the SID agent, as a leader of A.N., whereas to my knowledge he never was a member at all. And that was to help the attempt being made to get Guido Paglia off the hook who was the true ringleader and vice director of A.N.

That report of the Rome police headquarters was the reply of the UAR to the tight control the SID kept on American domestic and international trafficking by the head of the SIGSI.

However it may be, aside from the interbureaucratic and interparty blackmail, my position at the trial and politically has always been that of an anti-Fascist who, in finding himself involved in intelligence work and interests - not by chance and not as a hobby all alone - on subversive activities, had always taken the line expressed in your declarations in the Milanese daily.

There is no indication that you were aware of or interested in this until three years ago when one of my lawyers spoke to Marco Pannella about my case. On the contrary, it seems that you opposed those who in helping me would have helped make the battle of the left proceduraly effective and politically unavoidable - a battle which I have always tried to further by my political initiative in the trial. If it is not clear to you what I am talking about, go and read my most recent political initiative in the trial published in "Corriere d'Informazione" of December 1, 1975.

The correct nature, the importance and the determination of the reconstruction made in the memoir published in the "Corriere" is there for all to see in its consequences. After hearing my wife who confirmed all I had said, the investigating magistrate immediately brought charges against the SID officials Maletti and La Bruna.

Therefore, honoured gentlemen, what will you do to show me that in my case too "freedom does not allow for exceptions"? Will you continue to create obstacles for Giuliana Cabrini who only has tried to assert the enforcement, in my case too, the case of a citizen of the Republic like everyone else, of art. 3 of the Constitution? And who has tried to oppose the brutality of the regime that has sanctioned the turning of my Bari prison into a peninsula for segregation and persecution, a thousand kilometres away from family and lawyers? Or will you rather, correctly and consistent with your declarations in favour of the junkers of A.N., send your attorneys De Cataldo and Mellini to take over my defence so that my position politically and as a defendant (which has always taken the line maintained in your declarations too, which I have recalled here) is adequately and assisted and promoted?

The most irresponsible and cowardly reply would be to continue to pretend that my requests are superfluous, to be indifferent to them, to consign them to the wastebasket reserved for awkward situations.

Respectful and fraternal greetings

Giovanni Ventura