Rome, Italy — October 17, 2025:
A powerful explosion that destroyed the car of prominent Italian investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci has sparked national outrage and renewed fears over press freedom and mafia-linked violence in Italy.
The bomb, detonated overnight in Pomezia, a town near Rome, obliterated Ranucci’s parked vehicle and damaged nearby property, including the journalist’s second car and a neighboring house. Authorities confirmed that no one was injured, but anti-mafia prosecutors have opened a full investigation into what officials are calling a “serious act of intimidation.”
Mafia-Threatened Journalist Targeted in Car Bomb Attack
Ranucci, the longtime host of RAI’s investigative program Report, has lived under police protection since 2014 due to persistent death threats linked to his coverage of Italian organized crime networks.
The show’s production team confirmed the severity of the blast, stating on X (formerly Twitter):
“The force of the explosion was so strong that it could have killed anyone passing by at that moment.”
The Italian paramilitary Carabinieri and anti-mafia prosecutors in Rome are leading the investigation. Early findings suggest at least one kilogram of explosives was used, according to Ranucci’s comments to Corriere della Sera.
Ranucci told the paper that his son had used the car earlier in the day, while his daughter passed by the vehicle just 20 minutes before the explosion — a chilling reminder of how narrowly tragedy was avoided.
Italian Leaders Condemn Attack as Assault on Democracy
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the first to denounce the attack, calling it “an unacceptable assault on press freedom.”
“The freedom and independence of information are non-negotiable values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend,” she wrote on X.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced that Ranucci’s security detail would be increased “to the maximum level.”
Video shared by Report on social media showed twisted metal, shattered windows, and debris strewn across the street outside Ranucci’s home, where armed police now stand guard.
‘Most Serious Attack on a Journalist in Recent Years’
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the bombing as “the most serious attack against an Italian reporter in recent years.”
“Press freedom itself is facing an existential threat in Italy,” said Pavol Szalai, RSF’s head for Europe.
Italy currently ranks 49th in the world for press freedom, according to RSF’s 2025 index.
The organization has repeatedly warned that journalists investigating organized crime, corruption, or political influence are “systematically threatened and sometimes subjected to physical violence.”
At least 20 journalists in Italy currently live under permanent police protection, RSF said — among them Roberto Saviano, author of the acclaimed mafia exposé Gomorrah.
History of Threats and Intimidation
Ranucci, one of Italy’s most respected investigative journalists, has spent decades exposing mafia operations, political corruption, and state collusion with organized crime groups such as the ’Ndrangheta and the Sicilian Mafia.
In a 2021 broadcast, Ranucci revealed that a former inmate told him the mafia had issued a hit order against him following the publication of his book — but that the order was eventually called off.
He has since received numerous threats, including two bullets left outside his home, and said recently that he felt the atmosphere in Italy had become “more dangerous for journalists.”
Just days before the attack, Ranucci previewed the next season of Report on social media, highlighting investigations into the ’Ndrangheta’s growing political power and corruption within the energy sector.
Rising Concerns Over Italy’s Press Freedom Climate
Italian journalist Roberto Saviano, who has faced years of mafia and political harassment, linked the bombing to an increasingly hostile climate toward journalists in Italy.
“This attack didn’t happen in a vacuum,” Saviano said. “It comes from a political environment where journalists are being turned into legitimate targets.”
Civil society organizations and international press unions echoed his sentiment, calling on the Italian government to ensure full transparency in the investigation and protect reporters who expose criminal and political wrongdoing.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities have not yet confirmed who was behind the bombing, but the Anti-Mafia Directorate is reportedly exploring possible links to Ranucci’s recent investigations into organized crime and corruption within public institutions.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Forensic experts are analyzing explosive residue to determine the bomb’s composition and detonation method.
Meanwhile, Ranucci and his family remain under tight security, with armed guards stationed outside their residence.
Press Freedom Under Threat
The attack has reignited a broader debate in Italy about the state of media freedom, the protection of journalists, and the growing influence of organized crime on politics and society.
With press unions, watchdogs, and political leaders uniting in condemnation, the bombing has become a symbolic test of Italy’s democratic resilience.
As Ranucci told Corriere della Sera:
“They wanted to silence me — but this only proves why we must keep investigating.”
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