Stefano Delle Chiaie
Stefano delle Chiaie (13 September 1936 - September 10, 2019) was an Italian neo-fascist activist and militant, and founder of Avanguardia Nazionale, a fascist militant group best known for its coup attempt in 1970. Formerly part of Italy's post-World War II fascist party the Italian Social Movement (MSI), delle Chiaie was unsatisfied with participating in elections and decided to become a street militant. He was also part of the P2 (Propaganda Due) Masonic Lodge that was linked to a number of terrorist incidents in Italy. Despite his alleged connections to these incidents, delle Chiaie would never be convicted.
Career
delle Chiaie became a youth activist for the MSI at 14, but lost interest and joined the Ordine Nuovo (New Order) study group at 20. Dissatisfied with this group, he founded Avanguardia Nazionale (National Vanguard) in 1962. Nonetheless, in 1965 this group met with ON members including its founder Pino Rauti at an anti-communist conference at the Princes' Park Hotel in Rome. The fascists met with a number of military and business leaders, who they aimed to advise in how to stop Italy becoming a communist country. Communism was seen by many Italians as a threat due to the fact that it bordered Communist Yugoslavia, and domestic activity among communists was increasing in the 1960s. Since delle Chiaie and many of the fascists who attended would go on to be involved in it, this meeting is said to be the starting point of Italy's "strategy of tension". Its purpose was to commit acts of terrorism in order to create tension within the Italian public which would result in a crackdown on the communists.
Operation Chinese Posters
As part of AN, delle Chiaie and his associates put up posters purported to be made by a Stalinist organization. He later confessed that the campaign was backed by the CIA.