General Roberto Vannacci was notified
on Monday that he is under investigation over a anti-gay book
that he recently self-published and has become a best-seller.
The general was given the notification after arriving at the
Army's Rome headquarters to prepare for a new role he has been
assigned and immediately took a leave of absence of one month
for "family reasons", the sources said.
Vannacci has been hailed as a hero by the anti-politically
correct lobby in Italy over his book, which also slated Jews,
feminists, environmentalists and migrants.
At the weekend he was named army ground operation forces chief
of staff after being sacked as head of the military geographical
institute in August after the release of the book.
Defence ministry sources said Sunday Vannacci's new post "is not
a promotion".
They stressed that his new role "does not entail relations with
other institutions".
They said he would "only be commander of his own office chiefs
and will not have direct decision-making autonomy".
Former crack paratroop regiment chief Vannacci, 55, who was
replaced by his direct superior after Defence Minister Guido
Crosetto started disciplinary proceedings in mid-August, has
been defended by many right-wing politicians who say his right
to free speech is sanctioned by the Italian Constitution.
In his book, 'The world back to front', Vannacci, formerly head
of the Folgore paratroopers, says of homosexuals: "You are not
normal, come to terms with it!", insisting that "normality is
heterosexuality".
"If everything seems normal to you, however, it is the fault of
the plots of the international gay lobby," he adds.
He also speaks strongly in favour of self defence: If a burglar
enters a house, "why should I not be authorised to shoot him, to
stab him with whatever object I can get my hands on?".
"If I plunge the pencil I have in my breast pocket into the
jugular of the mug that attacks me, killing him, why should I
risk being condemned?"
Despite the defence ministry sources' denials, many politicians
took Vannacci's new appointment as a promotion and criticised
it.
Green-Left Alliance bigwig Nicola Fratoianni said "Italy
deserves better", More Europe leader Riccardo Magi said the case
was "shameful", and centrist Italia Viva (IV) House Whip Davide
Faraone said it was "scandalous to reward him".
As other sources confirmed that disciplinary proceedings against
the general were ongoing, Vannacci said "I will continue to
present my book".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
