Snooping gang 'spoke about request from Church'

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 29 - Members of an alleged snooping gang at the centre of a probe coordinated by Milanese anti-mafia investigative directorate DDA were wiretapped in a conversation on Russia and cyber attacks in Italy dating back to December 2022 as discussing intelligence activities on the issue connected to a request allegedly "coming directly from the Church", Carabinieri police wrote in court papers released on Tuesday.
    The group "discussed its intelligence activities on the theme and the profits it could make also in relation to a request they said came directly from the Church", Varese Carabinieri police wrote.
    Investigative papers spoke about activities carried out by the group, according to some wiretaps , which "appeared to have been requested by ecclesiastical institutions". The hacking gang allegedly led by Milan Fair Foundation President Enrico Pazzali and ex supercop Carmine Gallo is accused of obtaining huge quantities of confidential information via illegal access to strategic national databases.
    It is also suspected of targeting mainly business figures but also high-ranking politicians including President Sergio Mattarella and Senate Speaker Ignazio La Russa, police have said. (ANSA).