Abstract

This paper provides an outline of the trials for piazza Fontana, one the longest and most complex judicial case in Italian history, in the light of their paradoxical outcomes, with a focus on the first one (1969-1987). The analysis delves into some common features that affected also the other trials for terroristic bomb attacks in Italy (such as the role of the highest rank of the judiciary and the activities of security forces in misleading the investigations) and the effort of the Catanzaro judges to clarify political responsibilities in obstructing justice.