Stefano Delle Chiaie

Stefano Delle Chiaie (13 September 1936 – 10 September 2019) was an Italian neo-fascist terrorist. He was the founder of Avanguardia Nazionale, a member of Ordine Nuovo, and founder of Lega nazionalpopolare. He went on to become a wanted man worldwide, suspected of involvement in Italy's strategy of tension, but was acquitted. He was a friend of Licio Gelli, grandmaster of P2 masonic lodge. He was suspected of involvement in South America's Operation Condor, but was acquitted. He was known by his nickname "il caccola" (Roman slang for "shorty") as he was just over five feet tall - although he stated that originally, the nickname came from his very young involvement, at age 14, in the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a neo-fascist political party established after the war.

Delle Chiaie began as a member of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a neo-fascist party. However, he rejected the participation of the MSI in elections, preferring to take the battle to the streets. He left the MSI in 1958. After participating in the foundation of the Centri Studi Ordine Nuovo with members of the MSI, he created the small Gruppi di Azione Rivoluzionari (GAR) at the end of the 1950s. Involved in various political actions, such as protesting against Eisenhower's visit to Italy or fighting against Italian Communist Party members, he already maintained close international links, notably with the Austrian Konrad Windisch, leader of the neo-Nazi Kameradschaftsring Nationaler Jugendverbände (KNJ). He then formed, in 1960, the National Vanguard ("Avanguardia Nazionale") as a street-fighting group. Around this time, he also became a member of the secret P2 Masonic Lodge, which later led him to be accused of being ordered by Gelli to conduct bombings.

From 1962 to 1964 he was employed by the Servizio informazioni forze armate [it] tasked with infiltrating in and breaking up left-wing demonstrations.

In May 1974, Delle Chiaie’s last known forwarding address was discovered by investigators from the Portuguese Armed Forces Movement when they raided the Lisbon HQ of Aginter Press and its political wing, "Order and Tradition." The address was: Apartado 1682, El Salvador.

Delle Chiaie soon became a close ally of Junio Valerio Borghese and was suspected with him in the Golpe Borghese, but was acquitted because at the time he was in Barcelona.

Delle Chiaie was arrested in Caracas, Venezuela on 27 March 1987 and extradited to Italy to stand trial for his role in the Strage di Piazza Fontana bombing of Milan on 12 December 1969, when 17 people were killed and 88 wounded. Delle Chiaie was acquitted by the Assize Court in Catanzaro in 1989, along with fellow accused Massimiliano Fachini. On 20 February 1989 he was declared not guilty. On 5 July 1991 on appeal was acquitted of the case and for participation in subversive association.

He was also charged with subversive association in relationship to the 1980 Bologna railway station bombing but was acquitted on appeals.

In October 1991 he founded Lega Nazionalpopolare. The movement had limited success at the national parliamentary election in 1992 in Italy.